Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has been facing severe destruction since the beginning of monsoon this year. Heavy rains, cloudbursts, and flash floods have badly affected normal life in several districts, especially Kullu, Mandi, and Kangra.
In a major incident, around 15 to 20 workers were swept away in a flash flood near the Lungta Power Project in Dharamshala’s Khaniyara area of Kangra district. The workers were living in a temporary shed along the banks of Manuni Khad, a local stream, when the water level suddenly rose due to a cloudburst.
So far, two bodies have been recovered — one from Lunta area and another near a ravine in Naguni. Rescue teams including SDRF and local police are working at the site, but poor road conditions are slowing the operation.
Survivors said the weather had seemed clear when, suddenly, a flood came down the mountain. One of the workers, Parvez Mohammad, said the water rose so quickly that people in the shed couldn’t escape and were washed away.
This is not the only disaster in the state. In Kullu district, four different cloudbursts were reported — in Jiwanala of Sainj, Shilagarh of Gadsa, Manali’s Snow Gallery, and Hornagad of Banjar. These caused huge damage – eight vehicles, 10 culverts, and a power project were swept away. Three people are feared dead due to cloudburst in Raila Bihal of Sainj.
More than 150 tourist vehicles with over 2,000 tourists are stuck in the Sainj Valley as the roads near Siund have been washed away. Around 25 tourists are also feared stranded in Lahaul. The district administration has sent rescue teams to these areas.
Air travel has also been affected. Two flights — one to Delhi and another to Shimla — had to be cancelled due to bad weather.
IMD has issued an orange alert in the state. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kullu, Ashwani Kumar, said the NDRF is helping with relief work. Meanwhile, Kangra’s Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa said that while the cloudburst is not officially confirmed, a large amount of water rushed into the ravine, causing this disaster.
