Himachal Pradesh Cloudbursts: 3 Dead and 40 Missing, Rescue Efforts Underway

At least 3 people have lost their lives and over 40 people are missing following severe cloudbursts in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh. NDRF, SDRF, district officials, and the army have joined forces to expedite rescue and relief efforts.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured that all necessary measures are being taken. He noted that NDRF, SDRF, district officials, and the army are actively involved in the rescue efforts. Sukhu urged residents to avoid canals and rivers and mentioned that the Air Force is on standby.

The cloudbursts have resulted in widespread destruction of homes, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. As a precautionary measure, authorities have shut down schools in Kullu and Mandi due to landslides. The infrastructure damage has severed road connectivity, isolating Manali, and a video has surfaced, that shows that a building along the Manikaran-Bhuntar road has collapsed.

In Shimla, around 20 people are reported missing after a cloudburst near a hydroelectric power project at Samej Khad. The disaster response team is struggling with damaged roads as they attempt to reach the affected area. Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and district police chief Sanjeev Gandhi are overseeing the rescue operations.

Mandi, located about 125 km from Shimla, has also been severely impacted. Cloudbursts in Rajban village near Muhal Terang have caused road blockages and landslides. Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan has ordered the closure of all educational institutions and vocational training centers in the Padhar subdivision for safety reasons.

The Malana I and II power projects in Kullu district have been heavily damaged, and rising water levels in the Parvati River have led to evacuation orders for residents in affected areas. The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway has been significantly damaged due to the overflowing Beas River, and reports have emerged of houses being damaged in Bhagipul, Kullu. Authorities have issued alerts in Bhuntar due to flooding from the swollen Parvati River and Malana Khud. In neighboring Uttarakhand, two people have died and one has been injured due to a cloudburst in Jakhanyali, Tehri Garhwal district.​