7 people including Manimahesh pilgrims died in Himachal's Chamba district since Aug 24

Shimla, Aug 29 (PTI) Seven people, including Manimahesh pilgrims, have died in Chamba district since August 24, while eight sustained injuries and nine others are still missing as heavy rains triggering landslides at several places caused massive damage in the district, officials said on Friday.

"Seven people died, eight sustained injuries, while nine are still missing in parts of Chamba district since August 24. Majority of the main roads in the district remain blocked," said Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Chamba Amit Mishra on Friday.

Satellite phones and police wireless were the only mode of communication for the past three days, he said, adding mobile networks have been restored in most parts now except Bharmaur.

Officials said that the Bharmaur assembly segment has been the worst hit in the district. It has been cut off from the rest of the state due to landslides at many places, and ration and other essential commodities are being airlifted to Bharmaur from Chamba town, where they reached on Friday after four days.

Many Manimahesh yatris are stranded in Bharmaur. Local MLA Janak Raj alleged that water and food are scarce. He demanded that the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and helicopters be pressed into service to rescue the stranded pilgrims.

Meanwhile, videos of pilgrims walking on foot on a broken trail between Bharmaur and Chamba have surfaced on the internet in which people are seen navigating through landslide-hit roads.

"There was no administration, no disaster management, even after the weather alert. People left their vehicles, two-wheelers and started walking; there was no road and mobile connectivity. Crumbling mountains and the furious Ravi roaring below, it was a difficult walk," a Chamba native, who reached back from Bharmaur after four days, said.

"Even now, thousands of ladies, children, the elderly and youth are stuck from Gaurikund to Bagga in the hope that they will be rescued. The Bharmour to Kalsui road is almost destroyed, and airlifting is the only solution, he said.

Revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi, who reached Chamba on Friday, said, "Our priority is to open the road so that the people stranded in Bharmaur could go home. Roads would be opened on a war footing and in case it required time, people would be airlifted," he added.

Silt from the drain in Udaipur village washed houses away and government schools, the minister informed.

Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rains lashed several places in the state and Jatton Barrage in Sirmaur district received 138 mm of rain followed by Palampur 91.4 mm, Sandhole 77.8 mm, Paonta Sahib 75 mm, Kasauli 62 mm, Nahan 60.8 mm, Solan 57.8 mm, Gohar 55.6 mm, Bilaspur 50.4 mm, Murari Devi 48.4mm, Nagrota Suriyan 48.2 mm and Kahu 45.5 mm.

The local meteorological office has issued a yellow alert for heavy rains in isolated areas in four to ten districts of the state till Sunday. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ