Himachal Pradesh is battling again with heavy rains, which have disrupted everyday life in the state. There has been relentless rain since 10 August in Mandi, my hometown, and the situation here is very scary.
My house is in Jukain village in Mandi district, and roads connecting the village have been damaged due to the landslides. In my village, there are around 10 houses. All of us have left our homes as landslides are taking place at regular intervals.
The torrential rain has swept away homes, roads, and vehicles. The local primary school is among the worst affected, with boulders from the mountains severely damaging the school building.
The houses that managed to withstand the powerful water currents are now covered in mud and debris cascading down from the mountains.
Since 13 August, we have stayed at my relative's house in Dabrog village in Mandi. We are encountering significant challenges in obtaining essential supplies due to transportation issues, as most pickup vehicles cannot reach our location.
When we evacuated our house, we could only bring valuables and documents, leaving most of our belongings behind.
My grandmother has been in a prolonged coma for an extended period, and her medical equipment, such as a nebuliser, requires a consistent electricity supply to operate. Unfortunately, the electricity availability has been highly irregular.
On Sunday, 13 August, there was no electricity throughout the day. This compelled us to urgently seek care for her at the government hospital, where we accessed an intermittent power supply through an electrical generator.
Yesterday, 16 August, I went to check the condition of my house in Jukain Village. While the rains have gotten mild, landslides continue to take place. Our belongings are still inside our houses.
This is also affecting my studies as well. I am a student at Delhi University, and my classes began on 16 August. Since roads have been damaged, I cannot return to college and attend classes.
I hope the situation improves soon.
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