3 Dead, 50 Missing Cloudburst in
Cloudbursts have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of three people and over 50 reported missing. The districts of Kullu, Shimla, and Mandi have been severely affected.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu has deployed two additional battalions of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for relief and rescue operations. He chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation and stated that the worst-hit areas are Rampur Tehsil in Shimla, Padhar Tehsil in Mandi, and Jaon in Nirmand Village of Kullu.
The Indian Army and Air Force have been put on high alert to handle any emergencies, as the Met department predicts heavy rainfall for the next 36 hours. The tourist resort of Manali has been cut off due to damage to the National Highway.
The cloudbursts occurred at around 4:40 AM, causing significant damage to the Malan hydropower project in Kullu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the state of central assistance and NDRF support.
The CM has visited disaster-hit areas and reported that two bodies have been recovered. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, police, Home Guard, and fire services are engaged in relief, search, and rescue operations.
In Rampur, at least 36 people have gone missing, and teams are conducting search and rescue operations. In Mandi, a cloudburst occurred in Rajban Village, resulting in two houses being washed away and one partially damaged.
The Meteorological office has issued an ‘Orange’ alert for heavy to very heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, in isolated places for the next 24 hours. Flash floods in the Beas and Parvati rivers have damaged public and private property.
The state government has committed to providing all possible assistance, and Union Minister JP Nadda has assured help from the Central government. The weather office has warned of the possibility of landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas, and people are advised to exercise caution.
