10 dead in landslides, CM can't be rescued due to bad weather

Landslides triggered by incessant heavy rains and snow killed 10 persons in Himachal Pradesh and a high alert was sounded and army assistance sought for rescuing stranded people, including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, in the tribal border district of Kinnaur.

However, bad weather thwarted efforts to evacuate Singh from Sangla valley where he had gone to campaign for Mandi Lok Sabha byeelections, Chief Secretary S Roy said.

Five members of a family, including three children, were buried alive when boulders fell on their house while five others were killed in landslides in three other places as rains. Landslides also led to collapse of at least 50 houses.

Kinnaur district was cut off from the state from Tapri onwards as most of the approach roads and Hindustan-Tibet national highway was blocked at several places due to landslides and about 1700 persons were stranded.

Over 700 persons, including Virbhadra Singh who was campaigning in the area for Mandi Lok Sabha by-elections slated for June 23, were stranded in Sangla valley alone and assistance of the army has been sought for rescue operations and airlifting the stranded people, Chief Secretary S.Roy said.

"We have sought permission of the Election Commission of India for evacuation of the chief minister by state chopper and the permission has been granted but the chopper that left for Sangla could not land due to bad weather and returned", Roy said.