10 people trapped in India's dam rescued after nightlong operation

NEW DELHI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ten people, who were trapped in the reservoir of a dam in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, were rescued during the wee hours Monday, officials said.

A boat carrying them got stuck Sunday evening in the Koldam hydel project reservoir in Mandi district, about 94 km north of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.

The water level in the dam rose following incessant rainfall in its catchment area.

Officials said the efforts to rescue the trapped men were immediately initiated and the rescue operation was completed around 3:00 a.m. local time on Monday.

"Motorboat carrying 10 people including forest department officials stuck at Koldam Hydropower station, Mandi. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) pulled the boat out with the help of Steamer of Dam authority and rescued them safely," India's disaster response agency said in a statement.

Last week, landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods and house collapses triggered by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh killed over 70 people. The incessant rains also pushed the water level up in several dams.

Monsoon rains this year wreaked havoc in the state.

According to the Himachal Pradesh emergency operation center, until Sunday evening, 341 people were killed and 327 others injured since June 24 in rain-related incidents across the state. Apart from this, 38 others are reported missing in these incidents.

Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and northwest Uttar Pradesh during the next two days.