With torrential monsoon rains wreaking havoc in Himachal, the World Bank has praised the efforts of the Himachal Pradesh government and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s leadership. The Bank has offered assistance to the State.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, the World Bank’s country director for India, Auguste Tano Kouame, wrote “I am writing to express our deepest sympathy for the devastation caused in the wake of the heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides in Himachal Pradesh. We stand by the people of Himachal Pradesh in this challenging time. The efforts deployed under your leadership in the face of these adverse climate-linked events are commendable for their timeliness and responsiveness, including the care taken to facilitate the safe return of tourists from the state.”
71 landslides
Since June 24, following the monsoon’s onset in Himachal Pradesh, 184 people have lost their lives and 33 people are missing. The State has seen as many as 71 landslides and there have been 51 incidents of flash floods as well.
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The State rescued more than 70,000 people including locals and tourists. The administration conducted a challenging rescue operation in the snow-bound Chandertal Lake area in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti. Around 290 people were rescued over 60 hours in freezing temperatures. The tourists were taken towards Kaza in four batches, braving the chill of Kunzum pass located at 4,551 metres.
Mr. Sukhu meanwhile, said it would take at least one year to fix the damage and complete restoration works.
Loss of 8,000 crores
“So far, a loss of more than ₹8,000 crores has been estimated and the permanent restoration of lifelines such as roads, bridges, power, and water supply are the priority for the State government,” he said, adding that this is an exceptionally challenging time for the people of the state, and support from the World Bank would prove vital in the recovery process.
The World Bank has offered to provide support to Himachal, including a comprehensive assessment of damage in collaboration with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to quantify losses suffered in various sectors such as roads, power, water supply, housing, public buildings, irrigation, agriculture, horticulture, livestock, ecological services etc. The World Bank has also offered technical assistance for recovery and reconstruction, disaster risk management, infrastructure design, ecosystem services, and livelihood resilience.
