Rescue operations resume in Himachal Pradesh`s Kinnaur

Shimla: The operation to airlift those stranded in rain-ravaged parts of Himachal`s Kinnaur district resumed on Friday, an official said.

Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner JM Pathania told a news agency that the rescue operation launched to airlift tourists stranded in parts of the district for the past five days resumed on Friday. He said teams of the National Disaster Management Authority have been sent to the Ropa Kanda area in Kinnaur to rescue 12 shepherds, who were trapped along with their herd. Pathania added that over 400 tourists are still stranded across the district and they are likely to be evacuated by Saturday. The district administration has been taking care of the stranded people and there is no shortage of essential commodities, he said. "The work for restoration of roads is being done on war footing. Efforts are afoot to open link roads," Pathania said. Till Thursday, the government evacuated 580 tourists, mainly the sick and the old and women tourists, he added. However, the rescue teams are yet to reach a large number of tourists stranded in places like Raksham in the Sangla Valley and Chhatru in Lahaul-Spiti district, said locals. Fourteen people are reported to have been killed in the state in landslides triggered by torrential rains that began last weekend. Of these, 10 died in Kinnaur, while two each in Shimla and Sirmaur districts. IANS