Himachal Pradesh floods: Hundreds stuck, aerial survey conducted of Chandra Taal (WATCH)

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu explores all options to evacuate stranded tourists in Chandra Taal amid intense monsoon rains and widespread destruction, including flash floods and landslides.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has confirmed that every possible measure is being explored to evacuate tourists who have been stranded in Chandra Taal since Saturday due to the devastating monsoon rains. Chandra Taal, a renowned lake in the Lahul and Spiti district, is a popular tourist attraction. After conducting an aerial survey, the Chief Minister took to Twitter to share visuals of the affected area, highlighting the challenges faced in evacuating the tourists due to heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions.

"These visuals are from Chandra Taal , Lahaul. The tents that you see here are the tourist camps. Due to heavy snowfall and bad weather, it has become very difficult to evacuate them. We are exploring all possible options," the Chief Minister posted on Twitter after an aerial survey.

The state has been severely impacted by flash floods, landslides, and the destruction of infrastructure, including vehicles, buildings, and bridges, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 4,000 crore.

Authorities are currently awaiting a respite from the rainfall to dispatch helicopter missions for the rescue of approximately 300 stranded individuals in Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu regions.

Meanwhile, road rescue teams are diligently working to clear the snow along the route to Chandra Taal. Unfortunately, the death toll in Himachal Pradesh due to the monsoon rains has reportedly reached 95 people.

Official data indicates that the country has already witnessed monsoon rains producing approximately two percent more rainfall than the normal average during the first week of July.