Page 30 - Himachal Pradesh

Huge challenge upon us, need year to rebuild infrastructure: CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh will take a year to rebuild the infrastructure wrecked by the heavy rains this monsoon but the state is up to themountain-like challenge, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday. In an interview with PTI, he said the estimated damage in the two devastating spells of heavy rain this week and in July is about Rs 10,000 crore. Rains this week triggered landslides across the state, blocking roads and bringing down houses. About 60 people are dead, and more feared buried under the rubble. The chief minister said it takes time to rebuild roads and water projects. But the government is speeding up the process. We have to get the infrastructure fully restored within a year. I am working with this in mind. It's a big challenge, a mountain-like challenge. But we are not going to back away, he said. The state government will continue with its vision to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant in four years and the country's most prosperous state in 10 years.But

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Himachal surpasses average rainfall for entire monsoon in 54 days

Himachal Pradesh has already received 742 mm of rainfall in 54 days of monsoon this year against a season's average of 730 mm it records between June 1 and September 30, a weather official here said on Wednesday. The rainfall recorded in the state this July broke all records for the month in the last 50 years, Shimla Meteorological Centre Director Surinder Paul told PTI. He added that the towns of Manali, Solan, Rohru, Una, Ghamroor, Hamirpur and Keylong broke previous records of rainfall in a single day for the month on July 9 when the state witnessed unprecedented downpours. Himachal Pradesh received 223 mm of rainfall in four days from July 7 to 10 against an average of 41.6 mm for the corresponding period, Paul said. The state is currently witnessing its second spell of torrential downpour which began last Sunday. The official said the monsoon will be subdued in the next few days and become active again on August 25. Widespread heavy to extremely heavy showers lashed several p

Non-adherence to building codes in hills can have lethal consequences: Omar

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said people in the hill states should be mindful of the building codes while undertaking constructions as non-adherence to these guidelines can have lethal consequences. "Years of Govt apathy and wilful ignorance while multi-storey concrete structures were built on unstable hillsides has lethal consequences. Who thought these buildings were a good idea? All hill states need to be mindful of the growing impact of climate change & enforce building codes accordingly," Abdullah, the NC vice president, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. He was reacting to a video of a house collapse on a hillside in Himachal Pradesh. Two persons were killed on Tuesday when eight houses, including six makeshift ones, collapsed and a slaughterhouse was buried under the debris following a landslide in Krishnanagar locality in Shimla.

Himachal Pradesh: At least 60 killed amid rain fury; rescue ops underway

Both Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand, which too has witnessed dozens of deaths this monsoon season, are set to receive more rain, according to the weather forecast

Schools, colleges in Himachal to remain shut today, death toll rises to 57

The death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh rose to 57 on Wednesday with the body of a woman being pulled out of the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple near Summer Hill here, officials said. Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla's Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Fagli. "Rescue operations are going on in Summer Hill and Krishna Nagar areas and one body has been recovered from Summer Hill," Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi told PTI. He said so far 13 bodies have been recovered from Summer Hill, five bodies from Fagli and two from Krishna Nagar. Ten bodies are still feared buried in the debris of the Shiv temple that collapsed on Monday. About 15 houses in Krishna Nagar have been vacated and the families have been shifted to safe places. Several others have vacated their homes themselves fearing slides due to incessant rains. Two persons were killed and at least eight houses were razed to the ground and a slaughter house was bur

IMD Weather Update Today (Aug 16): Eight houses razed in Himachal yesterday

IMD has issued a rain alert in several parts of India. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are to experience heavy rainfall in the next three to four days. Check region-wise weather forecast here

Yamuna water level recedes after crossing the danger mark briefly in Delhi

The Yamuna's water level in Delhi followed a downward trend Wednesday morning after the river crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres for a brief period on Tuesday following torrential rain in the river's upper catchment areas over the past two days. According to the Central Water Commission's (CWC) website, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 205.14 metres at 8 am on Wednesday. It had crossed the warning mark of 204.5 metres at 3 pm on Tuesday and rapidly rose to 205.39 metres at 10 pm. "The river may not swell to the evacuation level of 206.00 metres in Delhi unless the hilly region receives more rain," a CWC official said. Delhi recorded light rain on Wednesday and dry conditions are predicted over the next few days. At least 56 people have been killed in Himachal Pradesh as rain wreaked havoc in the hill state since Sunday. Torrential rain also ravaged Uttarakhand over the past two days, destroying buildings and causing landslides that breached the national ..

Massive landslide strikes Shimla's Summer Hill area, rescue op underway

A search and rescue operation was launched after the word of the incident got out and sniffer dogs and rescuers were at the spot at the time of filing this report

Centre and state govt trying every possible help: Thakur on Himachal rains

The state is continuously witnessing a disastrous situation with flash floods during this year's monsoon season causing unprecedented damage to both lives and assets in Himachal Pradesh

Amid heavy rains in Himachal, IAF airlifts 18 stranded army soldiers

Incessant rains continue to wreak havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh that have been witnessing heavy downpours for the past few weeks resulting in damage to buildings and properties

Yamuna's water level in Delhi rises above danger mark once again: Data

According to the Central Water Commission's (CWC) data, the water level has witnessed a steady rise, crossing the danger mark of 205.33 meters to 205.39 meters at 10 pm on Tuesday

PM Modi should declare Himachal disaster-hit state: Congress chief Singh

Himachal Pradesh Congress Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday asked for help from the Central Government for the state

HP CM chairs review meet; orders to restore power, water supply schemes

A nearly 157 per cent surge in rainfall over the past few days has resulted in extensive damage across Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday. The death toll due to the rain rose to 56 after one more body was pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed Shiva temple in Shimla while two people died in a fresh landslide in the city, officials said. Heavy rain has battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides and cloudbursts that blocked several roads and led to house collapse incidents. Sukhu chaired a meeting to review the prevailing situation in the state and emphasised that the Himachal government is fully committed to expediting restoration efforts on a priority basis. He also directed the officials to swiftly restore electricity and water supply schemes that have been affected by the torrential rain over the past few days, according to a statement issued here. The downpour led to more than 500 trees being uprooted in Shimla's urban ar

Himachal rains: 8 houses collapse in Shimla landslide, 2 feared trapped

At least eight houses, including six makeshift ones, were razed to the ground and a slaughterhouse was buried under debris in a landslide in Krishnanagar locality here on Tuesday evening. Two persons are feared trapped under the rubble of the houses, officials said. Uprooting of a large tree caused a landslip leading to the collapse of a cluster of houses with deafening noise. At least two persons are feared trapped and possibility of more people under the debris cannot be ruled out, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi told PTI. Cracks had developed in some houses in the morning following which most of the residents vacated them, the officials said. Local councillor Bittu Panna said at least two persons who were inside the slaughterhouse are feared trapped under the debris. Videos of people in nearby houses screaming and telling the inmates to leave immediately were circulated on social media. Heart-wrenching scenes of people calling for help and running for safety were witne

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HP rain fury: Muted I-Day celebrations due to huge loss of life, property

In the wake of the colossal loss of life and property following heavy rains, landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh, the Independence Day celebrations across the state would be ceremonial without any cultural programme. Making the announcement on Monday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state-level I-Day function which was scheduled to be held at Manali has been shifted to Shimla. The chief minister would preside over the programme in Shimla and the Manali would now host a district-level function, a statement issued here said. Only flag hoisting, parade and speech by the chief guest will mark the celebrations at different locations in the hill state, the government said. The local police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel would not participate in the function as they will remain engaged in relief and rescue operations, it added.

51 killed in Himachal Pradesh rains, 14 of them in Shimla landslides

At least 33 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh, seven of them buried under the rubble of a temple in Shimla as rains wreaked havoc in the state, triggering landslides that blocked key roads and brought down houses, officials said on Monday. More people are feared trapped under the debris of the Shiv temple in Shimla's Summer Hill area. The shrine was crowded with devotees, offering prayers on an important day of the Sawan period. This was one of the two landslides reported from the state capital which is still witnessing intense rain. In a second landslide here, five bodies have been pulled out of the rubble in Fagli area while 17 persons rescued, Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu earlier said nine bodies have been pulled out of the debris from a Shiv temple in the Summer Hill area that collapsed and the other site in the Fagli area where several houses were buried under mud and slush. All schools and colleges in the state were clos

Himachal rains: NDRF teams engaged in rescue operations, says Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are engaged in relief and rescue operations in rain-hit Himachal Pradesh and termed the loss of lives due to the deluge as "extremely distressing". At least 29 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh, nine of them buried under the rubble of a temple after a landslip in Shimla, as rains wreaked havoc in the state, triggering landslides that blocked key roads and brought down houses, officials said on Monday. "The loss of lives due to heavy rains and landslides at various places in Himachal Pradesh is extremely distressing. NDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations along with the local administration. "I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this sorrow. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said on X (formerly Twitter).

Weather to remain cloudy in Delhi NCR on Independence day, predicts IMD

IMD Weather Forecast: The weather department predicts light to moderate thunderstorms on Independence Day in Delhi NCR and issues a yellow alert in Himachal Pradesh from August 14 to 17, 2023