Shimla/Mandi/Dehradun: Apna Punjab Media: At least 17 people have died and many are missing in cloudburst incidents due to heavy rains in North India. Officials said today that houses, bridges and roads have been damaged at many places due to heavy rains. He said that 5 people died and about 50 people went missing due to cloud burst in Nirmand, Sainj and Malana of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, Padhar in Mandi and Rampur in Shimla, while in Uttarakhand. At least 12 people have died due to heavy rains. Rudraprayag administration has advised pilgrims to postpone Kedarnath Yatra.
Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said that due to cloud burst near Shrikhand Mahadev last night, Sarpara, Ganvi and Kurban canals were flooded, due to which the water level in Samaj Khad of Rampur sub-division has increased. He said that two people have died here and about 30 people are missing. Four people have been rescued on the spot. Officials said that the Manali-Chandigarh National Highway has been damaged at many places due to landslides. DC and SP of Shimla said that teams of security forces are engaged in rescue work. Officials said the cloudburst occurred in Rajban village of Padhar subdivision of Mandi district, resulting in the death of three people and seven missing. Officials said that two houses have been washed away due to the flood. Similarly, there has been a cloudburst in Nirmand block of Kullu district, due to which seven people have gone missing and 8-9 houses have been washed away. Security force personnel are engaged in rescue work. Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Ravish said that there is also news of Malana dam breaking but the situation is said to be under control. He said that some people are stranded in Malana-1 hydro power project. They are safe in underground buildings and NDRF and Home Guard personnel are trying to take them out.
