Shimla, Aug 1
A cloudburst in Samej Khad near Jhakri, Rampur, late on July 31 has left 36 people missing.
The district administration launched a rescue operation at 5:30 am on August 1, led by Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi.
The affected area, spanning 85 kilometers, is divided into six parts, with NDRF, SDRF, Army, CISF, ITBP, police, home guards, and fire brigade involved in the rescue.
Reaching the site was challenging due to damaged roads, forcing rescue teams to walk two kilometers.
The incident washed away many houses, leaving the team stationed at various points to continue rescue efforts from sunrise to sunset. Local youth groups are also assisting.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Verma has been appointed as Deputy Incident Commander, overseeing operations at Sunni Koldam.
Despite efforts, no rescues were made on Thursday. Affected individuals will be lodged in Bushahr Sadan Rampur, with facilities arranged by the local administration.
Eyewitness accounts from three workers at the Greenco project describe a harrowing night trapped by rising waters, finally rescued at 7 am. The district administration has issued a toll-free emergency number 1077 for disaster-related information, along with four helplines and a WhatsApp number.
Among the 36 missing, 33 are from Shimla, including migrant laborers, local residents, and Greenco project employees, while three are from Kullu. The administration is making every effort to locate the missing and provide relief to the affected.
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