Heart wrenching scene at cloud-burst site as CM Sukhu consoles survivors, assures help
Shimla: Heart wrenching scenes and tears of men, women and children—all survivors of multiple cloud bursts in Himachal Pradesh moved everyone, including the rescue workers, as there is yet no clue of 50 missing persons, 15 of a single family.
The destruction is so severe that there are barely any remnants of homes or land left in the once peaceful Samej village, which lies on the border between Shimla and Kullu.
The village and its residents have been devastated. The flashflood triggered by a powerful cloudburst have obliterated everything in their wake.
Families who once shared laughter now face an unthinkable reality.
Reports said not alone the natives but over two dozen souls, including migrant workers are missing.
The rescue workers are trying to collect mortal remains using multiple equipment to clear the debris, boulders and muck. Only three bodies were found till later in the day.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu joined by education minister Rohit Thakur and Rampur MLA and top officials including Deputy Commissioners – Torul Raveesh (Kullu) and Anupam Kashyap (Shimla) reached the scene and met traumatised affected families, sharing their endless grief and assuring them all out help in the hour of crisis.
Families huddle together in makeshift shelters, their faces etched with hope and despair. Each passing hour makes the chances of a miraculous return of missing family members slim to none, yet the spark of hope remains.
Tears flow freely, mingling with prayers for their loved ones. In the heart of this chaos, the strength of familial bonds shines brightly, even as the floodwaters have claimed so much.
In three separate incidents of cloud burst have left everyone scared. About 36 people are missing in this incident at Samej village .
Rescue operations are under way on Friday to trace about 45 people missing following flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in three districts of Himachal Pradesh, officials said on Friday.
With recovery of three more bodies, the death toll due to the flash floods in Nirmand, Sainj and Malana areas in Kullu, Mandi’s Padhar and Shimla’s Rampur subdivision has increased to eight.
Sukhu said 17-18 women and eight to nine children are among those missing; and the rescue of people was their first priority.
Chief Minister inspected the cloudburst site at Samej and announces immediate assistance of Rs. 50,000 to meet basic needs and Rs. 5,000 for hiring rented accommodation
The Chief Minister consoled and comforted the affected families and announced an immediate relief package to the sufferers.
“Each affected family will receive Rs. 50,000 as immediate assistance and Rs. 5,000 per month, for three months, for hiring rented accommodation from today itself. Additionally, the state government would also provide free essential items of basic needs such as ration, cooking gas, blankets and stoves. The State government would extend comprehensive support to all the affected families”, stated Sukhu.
He assured that financial assistance for rebuilding their houses would be announced shortly.
“The government is committed to the rehabilitation of the affected families,” he said and directed the district administration to make alternative arrangements to ensure that displaced families do not face any further miseries and difficulties.
He also met with students from Government Senior Secondary School Samej, whose eight classmates are missing following the tragic incident. Students Rakhi and Kartik Thakur both in Class VIII, informed the Chief Minister that their school had been completely damaged and they were in shock.
Vimla Devi, a resident of Samej, recounted the horrific night of the cloudburst, with fear and panic all over the village.
“The government stands shoulder to shoulder with the affected persons and will support the families during this challenging time. All the affected families were my family members, and I assure you that a relief package will be announced shortly,” said Sukhu.
While interacting with the media at Samej, the Chief Minister said that extensive loss both to human lives and properties have been reported due to heavy rains and cloud bursts in Shimla, Mandi and Kullu districts on Wednesday night.
He said that five cloud bursts took place in these districts and caused widespread damage in these regions. He said that six persons have been reported dead and 47 still missing.
Sukhu said that in three districts as above, 14 motorable and pedestrian bridges, 115 houses, 23 cowsheds, 10 shops and three fish farms have perished in this disaster. He said that one National Highway and five roads had also been blocked in the State due to heavy rains.
He said that 55 stranded persons had been evacuated safely so far.
Relentless efforts were on to trace out the missing persons. He said that the administration has been kept on alert to tackle it effectively. The Public Works Department has been directed to open the closed roads on priority so that people do not face any inconvenience.
The chief minister announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and also said that they would be given Rs 5,000 a month for rent for the next three months along with gas, food and other essential items.
He said that arrangements would be made for schooling of children as several primary and secondary schools had been damaged.
The two bodies recovered in Rajban on Friday were identified as that of Aman (9) and Aryan (8) while five people are still missing on this site.
Relatives of the missing persons are camping at the sites with hope fading with every passing hour.
“Bodies of my father-in-law and mother-in-law have been recovered but my son, my brother-in-law, his wife and their six-year-old son and two-month-old daughter are still missing,” a wailing woman said
“Fear of death kept us awake all night as we climbed to a mountain to stay safe,” said another villager who came out after hearing screams to see houses swept in flash floods.
