Landslides, floods claim over 50 in north India

NEW DELHI: Monsoon woes gripped several parts of north India on Monday as heavy rains wreaked havoc in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, leaving over 50 people dead and hundreds stranded, while several parts in Haryana were flooded after water level of Yamuna rose alarmingly. Flash floods in the Ganga and its tributaries triggered by incessant rains for over 48 hours left a trail of death and devastation across Uttarakhand killing 30 people, injuring 19 and damaging 164 buildings. Seven persons went missing and five vehicles including a chopper were swept away in the heavy showers which are still continuing at a number of places across the state, Disaster Management authorities in Dehradun said. At least 15 people were killed in different incidents in Uttar Pradesh as flash floods lashed Saharanpur district following incessant rainfalls in neighbouring Uttarakhand. IG (law and order) R K Vishkarma said nearly 45 people were stranded due to the flash floods and were airlifted from Sarsava airbase to safer places by Air Force helicopters. In Himachal Pradesh, a high alert was sounded and army assistance was sought for rescue operations in the tribal border district of Kinnaur as incessant rains and snow wreaked havoc in the region, killing 10 people and damaging property worth crores of rupees. Five members of a family, including three children, were buried alive when boulders fell on their house while five others were killed in landslides in three other places. Kinnaur district was cut off from the state from Tapri onwards as most of the approach roads and Hindustan-Tibet National highway was blocked at several places due landslides and about 1,700 people were stranded. Over 700 people, including chief minister Virbhadra Singh who was campaigning in the area for Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll slated for June 23, were stranded in the Sangla valley and assistance of army has been sought for rescue operations and airlifting them, state chief secretary S Roy said. "The Election Commission has given permission for evacuation of the chief minister by a state chopper but it could not land due to bad weather and returned," he said.   Source: TOI