Around 10,000 Tourists Stranded In Kasol; 60,000 Evacuated So Far: Himachal CM Sukhu

Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) [India]: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that a total of 60,000 stranded tourists have been evacuated from the flood-affected areas.

“Until 9 am today, a total of 60,000 stranded tourists have been successfully evacuated from Himachal Pradesh. I am currently stationed in Kullu for the past three days, overseeing the ongoing rescue operations”, CM Sukhu shared in a tweet. He further informed that approximately 10,000 tourists are stranded in Kasol and Tirthan Valley due to road damage.

“Approximately 10,000 tourists are stranded in Kasol and Tirthan Valley due to road damage. We are facilitating the transportation of these tourists by trans-shipment, utilising jeeps and HRTC buses,  from the point where the road is damaged”, he said.

The chief minister also thanked the Indian Air Force for their efforts in the ongoing rescue operations.

In a tweet, CM Sukhu said, “I would like to express my gratitude for the efforts of the @IAF_MCC in this ongoing rescue and relief operation. Despite the extreme and challenging conditions, they demonstrated exceptional skill by rescuing seven individuals who were ill from Chandra Taal Lake.

Large-scale air evacuation was not possible at Chandra Taal due to slushy conditions and the unavailability of the helipad. Furthermore, the Indian Air Force had offered to deploy a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter to assist in the transportation of excavators and heavy machinery.”

CM Sukhu on Wednesday said that mobile network connectivity has been restored in Manali.

After BSNL Mobile, Landline and FTTH services were restored in Manali on Wednesday, CM Sukhu said that efforts are underway to restore the network in Kasol.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Competitive (Preliminary) Examination was pushed back to August 20 due to incessant rainfall and road damage. The exam had earlier been scheduled on July 23.

As per data shared by the Disaster Management Authority, to date, a total of over 1000 roads are closed, nearly 2,000 electricity schemes are affected and 1,200 water supply projects are hampered in the state due to rain.

Further, incessant rainfall led to flash floods and landslides, causing significant damage to life and property in Manali.