With the evacuation process of people stranded due to flash floods triggered by heavy rains in various districts of Himachal Pradesh complete, the state government has evacuated around 70,000 tourists from the state.

Disclosing this here on Saturday, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh said only around 500 tourists have voluntarily decided to stay back in Himachal Pradesh, who were being taken care of and were being provided with food and other essential items.

“The state government gave priority to the safety of life of all the tourists. Rescue operations were started in the flood-affected areas on a large scale and it was successfully completed with the cooperation of all,” he said, adding that about 15000 vehicles have been sent out from Himachal Pradesh.

Along with this, electricity, water, and mobile services have been temporarily restored in 80 per cent of the disaster-affected areas, he said.

Efforts are being made to restore essential services in the remaining areas at the earliest, said the Chief Minster.

He lauded the people of the state, various agencies of the Central Government and the state government, NDRF, Indian Army for successfully conducting the rescue operations.

 “The calamity is massive and the loss due to floods is estimated to be around 8,000 crore in the state,” he said, adding that the people of the state have faced the fury with a brave heart and the state government fully stands with the people of the state in this hour of grief.

Sukhu appealed to the central government to help the state government generously as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, on the intervention of the Chief Minister 22 sports persons stranded at ISBT New Delhi were rescued.

The team consisting of 9 boys, 10 girls, 2 coaches, and one manager who went to Shimoga in Karnataka to participate in the 40th National Junior Taekwondo Championship from July 7 to July 9, had returned by train to New Delhi on Thursday afternoon.

However, they were stranded at ISBT due to intense water logging, and one of the coaches Ashwani Kumar contacted the Chief Minister over the phone.

The chief minister immediately directed the Himachal Pradesh Resident Commissioner Meera Mohanty to take immediate steps to rescue them.

Resident Commissioner and OSD to the Chief Minister at New Delhi K S Bashtu met the sportspersons who were brought to Himachal Bhawan.

The state government is now making arrangements for their safe return to their respective homes.