Shimla: At least 23 individuals—15 in Uttarakhand and eight in the adjacent state of Himachal Pradesh—have perished due to cloudbursts in the Himalayan region.
The incidents have intensified rescue efforts, blocked key highways with landslides, and more rain is expected in the coming days.
Drones were utilized in Himachal Pradesh to reach isolated areas after landslides, while the Indian Air Force deployed Chinook and MI17 helicopters to rescue 800 pilgrims stranded on the route to Kedarnath, pending favourable weather conditions.
In Himachal Pradesh, the discovery of three bodies has increased the death toll to eight. Flash floods have occurred in several areas following the cloudbursts, and efforts are underway to locate 45 missing individuals.
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway is closed in three sections due to landslides, causing traffic disruptions. Alternative routes have been arranged for smaller vehicles.
Additionally, 115 roads across various districts are shut, impacting traffic, transformers, and water supply schemes. The Himachal Roads Transport Corporation has suspended bus services on numerous routes.
In Uttarakhand, cloudbursts have claimed 15 lives in the districts of Kedarnath, Tehri, Chamoli, Dehradun, and Haridwar. To date, 7,234 pilgrims have been evacuated from the Kedarnath route, which is currently closed due to a cloudburst.
The death toll reached 15 following the drowning of an individual in Dehradun’s swollen river on Friday and the recovery of another body in Rudraprayag the previous evening.
Since July 31, more than 300 roads, including a national highway, have been obstructed. Clearing operations are in progress, with 191 road blockages yet to be resolved. A substantial effort with 340 JCBs and Pokland machines is underway to reestablish access and connectivity.
