IMD issues orange alert for 8 districts of Himachal Pradesh today

SHIMLA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert and predicted heavy rainfall in eight districts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, said an official.

Deputy Director IMD Bui Lal on Saturday said that the IMD has issued an orange alert in Himachal Pradesh for heavy rains in several districts of the region over the course of the following 24 hours.

The IMD Deputy Director also mentioned that many areas of Himachal Pradesh received hefty downpours in the last 24 hours, with the Sirmaur district receiving 195 mm of rain.

"Many areas of Himachal Pradesh have received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours, with Sirmaur district receiving 195 mm of rainfall. In the next 24 hours, the IMD has issued an Orange alert with heavy rainfall expected in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Bilaspur districts," said Bui Lal. Earlier Kullu Deputy Commissioner on Saturday said that five crore rupees relief amount was provided to those affected by floods in the district.

"People who are affected by the heavy rainfall in the Kullu district are being provided with a relief amount by the government. People whose sources of income were affected along with their houses and shops are being procured the relief amount. Till now, 1,700 families have been affected by the floods. Most of the families were provided with Rs five crores of relief amount", said Ashutosh Garg, DCP, Kullu.

Garg further added, "Still, the employees of the revenue department are on the field and distributing the relief amounts".

Notably, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed massive financial and infrastructural losses due to the downpour.

The incessant rainfall led to several landslides and flash floods. Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said that the state has faced the harshest rain and flood disasters in the past 75 years.

He also said that the loss incurred by the state due to the rain-induced damages could reach 8,000 crore rupees.

The Chief Minister said there is a need for immediate financial relief from the Union Government.

"The central team has visited the state. We have demanded the pending 315 crore rupees of the 2022-23 disaster fund from the Union Government. The loss is estimated to be 8,000 Crore rupees. We are trying to restore the roads, electricity, and water supply in the region," said the Chief Minister while talking to the media.

The Chief Minister said that Himachal was in need of immediate relief from the Union Government in this disaster situation. On the continuous heavy rain alert, he said teams are ready and the priority is to save the lives of the people.