NEW DELHI: Ten people, who were trapped in the reservoir of a dam in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, were rescued during the wee hours on Monday, Xinhua quoted officials.
A boat carrying them got stuck Sunday evening in the Koldam hydel project reservoir in the Mandi district, about 94 km north of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
The water level in the dam rose following incessant rain in its catchment area.
Officials said efforts to rescue the trapped men were immediately initiated and the operation was completed around 3.00 am local time on Monday.
“Motorboat carrying 10 people, including Forest Department officials, was stuck at the Koldam Hydropower station in Mandi. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) pulled the boat out with the help of the Steamer of Dam authority and rescued them,“ India’s disaster response agency said in a statement.
Last week, landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods and house collapses triggered by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh killed over 70 people. The incessant rains also pushed the water level up in several dams.
Monsoon rains this year wreaked havoc in the state.
According to the Himachal Pradesh emergency operation centre until Sunday evening, 341 people were killed and 327 others injured since June 24 in rain-related incidents across the state. Apart from this, 38 people are reported missing.
Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and northwest Uttar Pradesh for the next two days. –Bernama
