All those missing in Kangra landslide presumed dead
Four bodies retrieved, toll reaches five; rescue operation on
DHARAMSHALA: Rescue workers dug through debris, looking for those missing after a landslide ripped through the remote Rulehar village of Boh panchayat in Shahpur subdivision of Kangra on Monday.
Kangra SSP Vimukta Ranjan said four bodies were retrieved on Tuesday. With this number of casualties have gone up to five. The deceased are as Mamta, 21, Shakuntla, 60, and Kartik, 15, while the fourth one is yet to be identified.
Body of Masto Devi was found on Monday. Five are still missing while as many people were rescued alive on Monday night.
Ranjan said, “NDRF arrived around 10pm after road connectivity was restored. It has taken over the rescue work.”
He said 11 houses were either swept away or damaged in the landslide.
There was no trace of the missing, even as the rescue workers struggled to cut through the big boulders to find them, he added.
Kangra DC Nipun Jindal said all the missing have been presumed dead. “Rescue operation is on but chances of survival of the missing are very bleak,” he said.
Meanwhile, another NDRF team deployed in the Tatvani village in Shahpur rescued seven people who were stuck due to flooding.
Earlier, emergency workers had rescued 80 people, including tourists and students, who were stranded at famous trekkers’ destination Triund.
Girl drowns at Nagrota Bagwan, two missing in Dharamshala
A girl drowned in a swollen stream at Kirchamba village of Nagrota Bagwan sub division. Her body was recovered on Monday night.
A person is reported missing from Bhagsunag near Dharamshala, while another is missing at Samirpur village, where three cattle drowned in a stream.
Rail traffic on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge line was halted due to landslides at several places.
A total of 184 roads, including three national highways, were blocked following landslides.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan over the next two days, said Shimla meteorological centre head Surender Paul.
The weather office has issued yellow warning of heavy to very heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday in the lower and middle hills