100 persons rescued in Himachal Pradesh, toll reaches 24

SHIMLA: The state and IAF choppers today rescued 100 persons, including 16 foreigners, from Kaza and various parts of rain ravaged tribal district of Kinnaur even as the recovery of 10 bodies took the death toll to 24.

Six bodies of Nepali migrants, including two children, were recovered from the debris of a collapsed house at Lipa in Kinnaur, Superintendent of Police, Kinnuar, G Shiva Kumar, said.

Four bodies were found in Shimla and Sirmaur districts. As per the reports from various parts of the state, 300 houses had collapsed while 150 heads of cattle perished.

Seven foreigners from Tabo near Kaza in Spiti tribal area, seven from Nako and two from Pooh were among the 100 persons rescued today, sources said.

Tourists and others stranded at various places in Kinnaur for past seven days were evacuated from Kaza, Tabo, Pooh, Nako and Rekong Peo.

About 500 people were still stranded in the border district as road links have been completely snapped due to landslides and breaches.

A Border Road Organisation official said Wangtoo-Pooh and Pooh-Kaurik roads have suffered extensive damage.

The traffic on Hindustan-Tibet National Highway has come to grinding halt beyond Wangtoo, the official said.

However, the Samdoh-Kaza-Gramphu road, linking Spiti valley with Pooh has been opened for vehicular traffic.

Meanwhile, the day temperatures rose marginally as sky remained overcast and dry weather prevailed in the region.

Una was hottest in the region with maximum temperature at 39.4 degrees Celsius followed by Sundernagar and Bhuntar at 34.4 deg, Nahan 31.8 deg, Solan 29.5 deg and Manali 29.0 deg.

The minimum temperatures increased by one or two degrees and Una was hottest during the night with minimum temperature at 26.8 deg C, six notches above normal while Kangra recorded a low of 24.0 degree, followed by Sundernagar 23.0 degree, Nahan 21.7 deg, Bhuntar 21.2 deg and Shimla 18.5 deg.