Himachal Pradesh declares heavy rain damage a 'state calamity' amid rising death toll

Talking to PTI, the chief minister said rescue operations are going on in full swing and the state government is making efforts to help the affected families especially those whose houses have been damaged in the flash floods and landslides with its own resources.

"Central teams have inspected the affected areas for loss assessment and we need timely help from the Centre," Sukhu said, adding the state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 10,000 crore.

With the recovery of one more body from the rubble of a Shiv temple in Summer Hill, the death toll in rain-battered Himachal Pradesh has risen to 75 and 22 of these deaths were in the three major landslides in Shimla alone — at the Shiva temple in Summer Hill and in Fagli and Krishnanagar, SP, Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said.

About six persons are still feared buried in the temple debris.

Since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, 217 persons have died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh and 11,301 houses have been partially or completely damaged, according to the state emergency operation centre.

A total of 506 roads are still closed in the state and 408 transformers and 149 water supply schemes have been disrupted.

Over the last three days, 2,074 people have been evacuated from flooded areas of the Kangra district.

The state government on Thursday relaxed conditions for spending the MLA local area development fund.

The MLAs would now be able to use their fund of Rs 2.10 crore per year for projects like the construction of retaining walls and channelisation of drains.