New Delhi: Amid the grim situation in Himachal Pradesh due to incessant rainfall, Israeli Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to India, Ohad Nakash Kaynar, along with officials himself, embarked on a rescue mission on Thursday to locate the missing Israeli citizens in the state.
A total of 88 people have lost their lives in the state since June 24 as rain continues to lash Himachal Pradesh, an official statement issued by the state disaster management authority said on Wednesday.
Taking to Twitter, Kaynar said, “Taking off to #HimachalPradesh to locate the incommunicado Israelis. On the way we saw collapsed roads and mud slides. Nature is sometimes overwhelming”.
“In this video you can see an example of the mudslides and rocks collapsing on the road. This is one of many such instances of natural destruction,” he added in a subsequent tweet.
Notably, the Kasol region in Himachal Pradesh is famously called as ‘Mini Israel’, because of the high proportion of tourists here.
Earlier in the day, IPS Satwant Atwal informed on her Twitter handle that six Israeli tourists had been transferred safely to the town of Manikaran, while another 37 were safe and in good health at Barshaini.
“POSITIVE from Manikaran, 6 Israelis have been brought to PP Manikaran and remaining 37 Israeli nationals are at Barshaini and all are safe and in healthy condition,” tweeted IPS Atwal.
The IPS informed further on Twitter that about 95 people, including a foreign national, had been rescued and brought safely at Sangla, Chhitkul and Raksham areas of the state.
“POSITIVE 95 people including a foreign national rescued, and brought to a safe place at Sangla, Chhitkul and Raksham,” tweeted the IPS.
The Himachal government on Wednesday said the state was limping back to normal and the evacuation process was underway amid heavy rainfall.
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said more than 50,000 tourists have been evacuated by rescuers from across the state and also lauded officials across various state departments, who are involved in the ongoing rescue and evacuation work.
Meanwhile, the situation is also grim in the national capital. The Yamuna River continued to flow over the danger mark, with the water level reaching 208.46 metres on Thursday morning, officials informed.
Delhi government has already evacuated people living in low-lying areas and shifted them to safer places at higher altitude.
Meanwhile, 2500 tents have been set up in 6 districts of the national capital to shift people from the affected areas.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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