Shimla: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescue teams and local residents have brought foreign nationals, mostly Israelis and Russians, as well as Indian tourists from Khirganga and Pulga to Tosh village and thereafter, towards Bhuntar in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district.
The total number of rescued people from there was 85, a spokesperson for the state police told IANS.
The NDRF, despite the treks to the site where they were struck at different sites blocked owing to landslides, reached and worked for all possibilities and made the impossible possible, said the official.
The NDRF conducted the operation with the help of an anchored rope, harness and hydra crane, and safely rescued a majority of them, he added.
Meanwhile, the national highway between Mandi and Pandoh, which had been closed since the evening of July 8 due to falling of rocks and debris, was restored for traffic on Saturday.
Currently, only one-way traffic has been allowed at a time.
“All types of vehicles are being allowed to move alternately from both sides. It may take five-six days to make the highway motorable for double-lane traffic,” said another police officer.
A large number of buses, trucks, etc., are stranded on both sides, the official added.
The operation to evacuate locals and tourists stranded due to flash floods triggered by heavy rains has been completed, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu said on Saturday.
Around 70,000 tourists have been evacuated, he said, adding about 500 tourists have voluntarily decided to stay back in the state.
About 15,000 vehicles have been sent out from the state. Along with this, electricity, water and mobile services have been temporarily restored in 80 per cent of the disaster-affected areas.
The Chief Minister said efforts are being made to restore essential services in the remaining areas at the earliest.
He also praised various agencies of the NDRF and Indian Army for successfully conducting the rescue operations. The calamity is massive and the loss due to floods is estimated to be around Rs 8,000 crore.
(IANS)
