In the wake of a catastrophic flood that has ravaged parts of Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Army has launched extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations to aid the affected communities in Samej village.
According to the Indian Army, the road to the incident site was blocked due to a land shift approximately 2.5 kilometers short of the site. Troops moved on foot beyond the blockade. The Army’s Engineer Task Force (ETF) repaired the road and made it operational on Friday. Although the equipment was temporarily stuck at the blockade site, it reached the incident site later after the road was repaired.
On Friday, the Army also completed the construction of an improvised footbridge, which facilitated the movement of rescue teams to the far bank of the river and enabled the rescue of civilians stranded there. Additionally, a medical camp was established at the incident site, where approximately 80-90 civilians received essential treatment and first aid.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with the DC Shimla, was briefed by Army officials on the status of the rescue operations. The Army distributed essential commodities such as food packets, medicines, and other necessities to the affected civilians.
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However, the search and rescue dog team advanced to Karcham. No bodies have been recovered so far due to high water levels and the likelihood of bodies being washed downstream. Following the cloudburst, drone search operations and rescue efforts are ongoing in several parts of the state by the Indian Army, NDRF, CISF, and other agencies.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, 191 roads, including three national highways, are closed due to landslides and rain. A total of 294 electricity supply schemes are disrupted, and nearly 120 water supply schemes are hampered in the state. The SDMA reported that 47 people are still missing in various parts of the state, including 36 in the Samej area of the Rampur region in Shimla district.
The SDMA further stated that so far, six people have died in the state, 47 are still missing, and 11 have been safely evacuated. No one is currently stranded. A total of 60 houses have been completely damaged due to the flash flood and cloudburst over the past 56 hours. Additionally, 35 houses have been partially damaged, 19 cow sheds were washed away, five motorable bridges were destroyed, nine pedestrian bridges were damaged, and 10 shops, four schools, and one health facility were also affected.
Furthermore, 16 vehicles and three fish farms were washed away. Over 400 personnel from NDRF, SDRF, Police, Home Guard, ITBP, Army, CISF, and other agencies are involved in rescue, search, and relief operations.
(INPUTS FROM ANI)
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