In the past week, Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district witnessed a massive landslide on National Highway 5. Today, after the rescue operation was started two dead bodies were recovered and the death toll has risen to 19. As per the reports, nearly 20 people are still missing, the rescue and search operation is still underway. During the initial 48 hours, around 13 people were safely out of the debris.
An NDRF official said, “There is still hope about a survivor but we have to continue searching as there is fear about the bodies buried under the debris. The police have been asked to deploy sniffer dogs to help the search teams.”
Also Read: Four more bodies recovered from landslide site in Himachal’s Kinnaur, toll rises to 14
A truck, a state-run bus, which was on its way to Haridwar from Rekong Peo via Shimla, and other vehicles were buried in the landslide that occurred over a large stretch on the highway near Nigulsari, 61 km from Reckong Peo, the district headquarters of Kinnaur. The bus was rescued by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 17th Battalion Police.
The rescue operation is carried out by State Disaster Management Team, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Himachal Police, and home guards. Recently, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur visited the site of the landslide.
Now, the flow of Chenab River (aka Chandra-Bhaga) in the Lahaul Spiti district has also been normalized. DC Lahaul Spiti Neeraj Kumar said, “There is no danger to the local inhabitants who were temporarily shifted to safer places from 11 villagers in the vicinity of the landslide site.”
Also Read: Two killed in Himachal landslide, 10 rescued from debris
The flow of the river was blocked on Friday due to the landslide that occurred in the region, fortunately, no fatalities or injuries were reported. Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over normalizing the flow of the river and urged residents not to go near the river for some time.
CM Jai Ram Thakur tweeted, “We have given instructions to the district administration to ensure that no one is harmed due to this. I also humbly request the local people not to go near river banks and landslide-prone areas.”