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11 more die in Himachal landslides, floods

Shimla: At least 11 people lost their lives in heavy rain that triggered fresh landslides and floods in Himachal Pradesh taking the toll to 36 in the past four days.

As many as 36 deaths have been reported in the State since Saturday, Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan told reporters here but declined to give any break up saying it was under preparation.

He said almost all the 12 districts of the State have been affected so far and the worst among them are Kangra, Una, Sirmaur and Shimla.

Mr. Mahajan said the State Government had released Rs 40 crore out of the Rs 103 crore in the State’s kitty for natural calamity relief.

He said that relief would be given to the people without waiting for the Central assistance.

Mr. Mahajan said the Union Government had been requested to send a team to asses the loss in the State.

Families of the dead would be given Rs one lakh compensation in accordance with the amended relief manual and cash would be provided to farmers to compensate loss of their produce, the Minister said.

Train services on the historic Kalka-Shimla railway line will remain suspended for at least 10 days as cloudbursts and landslides have damaged tracks on not less than 40 locations, a senior railway official said on Tuesday.

“The 96-km Kalka-Shimla track has been damaged on not less than 40 locations and the damage continue due to rain and water flowing down from mountains,” Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ambala, H. K. Jaggi, who was himself making an on-the-spot assessment, told PTI over phone from Kandaghat in Shimla district.

Maximum damage has been done at Koti where cloudburst washed away soil beneath the track in a patch of over 200 metres, leaving the track hanging, he added. PTI

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11 more die in Himachal landslides, floods

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