Flash floods, land slides claim 5 lives in Himachal, 13 feared dead

Shimla: Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh claimed five lives while 13 others were feared dead in separate incidents, officials said on Saturday. Twenty-two people, who were stranded following a flash flood in the Hamirpur district were evacuated safely, they said.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur condoled the deaths and said that the administration is carrying out rescue operations on a war footing in the affected districts. According to officials, three people were killed after their house collapsed following a landslide triggered by rains in the Chamba district. The Chamba District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC) said the landslide occurred at Banet village in Chowari tehsil around 4.30 am following which a house collapsed, killing three people.

In Mandi, a girl was killed and 13 others were feared dead in a landslide and flash flood triggered by heavy rains, officials said. The body of a girl has been recovered about half-a-km away from her house in Baghi Nullah on Mandi-Katola-Prashar road on Friday night, while five members of her family were washed away, state disaster management department officials said.

Several families also left their houses located between Baghi and Old Katola areas after a cloud burst and took shelter at safe places, the department added. Besides, eight members of another family are also feared buried under the debris of their house following a landslide at Kashan village in Gohar development block, the department added.

However, the bodies have not been retrieved yet, it said. Several roads in the Mandi district have also been blocked following flash floods and multiple landslides. Several vehicles were damaged and a number of villagers were stranded in their houses as water entered their houses and shops at Balh, Sadar, Thunag, Mandi and Lamathach, officials said.

Schools in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district will remain closed on Saturday due to ongoing incessant rains, a senior administration official said. Several vehicles parked along the road were damaged and residents remained stuck inside their houses, they said. In Kangra, a 'kacha' house collapsed killing a nine-year-old child, officials said.