Shimla, Sept. 5 -- With improvement in weather conditions after two weeks of relentless rain, the Himachal Pradesh government has intensified relief and rescue operations in the worst-hit districts of Kullu and Chamba, where landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts have caused widespread devastation.
For the first time in Himachal, Indian Air Force(IAF) Chinook helicopters were deployed in rescue missions. In three sorties alone, 135 pilgrims stranded during the Manimahesh Yatra in Bharmour were successfully evacuated to safety at Chamba's Kariyan helipad. Each sortie airlifted 52 to 60 pilgrims, marking a major breakthrough in the operation.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who has been camping in flood-affected regions for the past th...