Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur to visit flash flood, landslide hit Mandi district

Shimla, Aug 22: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will on Monday visit flash flood and landslide hit areas in Mandi district, officials said.

Twenty-two people, including eight members of a family, were killed and twelve others injured in 36 incidents of landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

The chief minister's home district Mandi is the worst hit where 13 people have died and five persons are feared dead as they went missing.

At least one person has been injured in flash floods and landslides in Mandi.

According to officials, the chief minister is scheduled to reach Mandi at around 8.15 am in a helicopter from Shimla. Thakur will specially visit Kashan village in Gohar development block where Khem Singh and seven other members of his family were buried alive under the debris of their house after a landslide occurred on August 20. As per his schedule, he will reach Kashan village by road from Mandi helipad at around 9 am and take stock of the situation till 12.15 pm. Subsequently, he will fly back to reach Shimla at around 1.10 pm.

In Mandi itself, six members of a family went missing after a flash flood in Baghi nullah on the Mandi-Katola-Prashar road on Saturday. While the body of a girl was recovered some distance away from her house, five other members of her family are feared dead as they were washed away after flash floods.

Several families left their homes located between Baghi and Old Katola areas after a cloud burst and took shelter at safer places in Mandi district on Saturday. Besides, several roads, power transformers, and water supply pipes have also been damaged in the flash floods.