The death toll due to flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in three districts of Himachal Pradesh has risen to 13 with the recovery of four more bodies from Mandi and Shimla districts on Sunday.

According to the official data, more than 40 people are still missing after a series of cloudbursts occurred in Kullu’s Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi’s Padhar and Shimla’s Rampur subdivision on the night of July 31.

On Sunday, the bodies of Sonam (23) and three-month-old Manvi were recovered from Rajbhan village in the Padhar area of Mandi district. Later in the evening, two bodies were recovered near Dhakoli on the banks of Satluj River in Rampur. They are yet to be identified, Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI.

Also Read: Himachal Pradesh floods: Death toll rises to 11, over 40 missing as rescue efforts continue

Rescuers have intensified the search operation by deploying more machinery, sniffer dog squad, drones and other equipment.

According to the officials, 410 rescuers from teams of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, CISF, Himachal Pradesh Police and home guards are involved in the hunt, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, locals claimed that there is no electricity in three villages — Samej, Dhara Sarda and Kushwa located on the border of Shimla and Kullu — since the tragedy struck.

Earlier on Friday, the state government announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the victims and said they would be given Rs 5,000 monthly for rent for the next three months, along with gas, food and other essential items.

Also Read: Pune Flood Threat: Intense rain and excessive dam water prompt warnings, Army deployed for relief

Himachal Pradesh has suffered a loss of approximately Rs 662 crore since the onset of monsoon on June 27 till August 4. The rains have left a trail of destruction, claiming lives and sweeping away infrastructure across the state. Nearly 85 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents, as per the state emergency operation centre.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu disclosed that the losses incurred since June 27 have encompassed significant damage to infrastructure and other assets.

A total of 87 roads are closed in Himachal Pradesh due to cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides. The local meteorological office has issued a yellow alert for heavy showers, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh till August 8 (Thursday). The MeT also cautioned of the possibility of landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas and damage to plantations and standing crops, vulnerable structures and ‘kutcha’ houses due to strong winds, and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

(With inputs from PTI)