Himachal Pradesh witnesses highest-ever single-day loss of lives amid heavy rains, says CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu | Shimla News

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that the state witnessed its highest-ever single-day loss of lives due to heavy rains.

He said, “Over 50 people have lost their lives in the state in the last 24 hours. Additionally, more than 20 people are still trapped, and the death toll could potentially increase. Search and rescue operations are currently under way. We have decided not to organize any cultural programs on the occasion of Independence Day.”
Sukhu chaired an emergency gathering in Shimla to assess the situation and declared that cultural events for the Independence Day celebration would be cancelled due to this unprecedented tragedy.

He emphasized that the government’s top priority is to minimize the challenges faced by people during this distressing period. Consequently, the Independence Day parade has been reduced in scale to engage a maximum number of rescue forces for urgent relief efforts. The NDRF team from Nalagarh has arrived in Shimla to aid in these operations.
Sukhu highlighted that approximately 1,200 roads have been impacted across the state, with efforts underway to swiftly restore traffic flow. He ensured that 600 roads would be accessible by Monday evening, followed by an additional 300 roads by Tuesday. The districts of Solan, Shimla, Mandi, and Hamirpur have borne the brunt of the rainfall’s impact.

He instructed officials to offer full assistance to those affected and requested immediate identification of hazardous trees along roads and structures. Reports on these findings are to be submitted by Tuesday morning. Sukhu also directed the restoration of drinking water schemes to ensure sufficient water supply for the population.
Sukhu acknowledged the increasing incidents of cloudbursts in the state and instructed the relevant department to analyze the recent trend to identify and address the underlying causes.
Furthermore, Sukhu obtained detailed updates on electricity supply, water schemes, and road conditions.
He issued necessary directives to deputy commissioners of all districts, who participated in the meeting via video conferencing.