MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

56 feared killed in Shimla floods

At least 56 people are feared dead, 41 of them from Kinnaur district, and property worth millions of rupees has been destroyed in Kinnaur and Shimla following flash floods in the River Sutlej Monday night, official reports said Tuesday.

About 20 persons are missing in Kinnaur district and Rampur in Shimla, they said.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who visited affected areas in Kinnaur, accompanied by senior officials, said the river was flowing about 25 feet above normal level at many points.

Dhumal told reporters that all links in Kinnaur were cut off, as about 30 km of the national highway 22 and 14 bridges were washed away in Kinnaur, while the Wangto bridge was dangling.

He said the death toll may go up.

Dhumal said flood waters had also entered the Bhawa powerhouse and Nathpa Jhakri power project.

The district headquarters of Kinnaur Rekong-Peo were also cut off from all sides.

The chief minister said the he would discuss the flood situation with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Dhumal said the state government had set up a control room at the state headquarters, which will be in touch with the administration of the affected districts.

PTI

Tell us what you think of this report