Rescue Operations Continue as Flash Floods Devastate Himachal Pradesh

GG News Bureau
Shimla, 2nd August.  Rescue operations were underway on Friday to locate over 45 people missing after flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in three districts of Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, 29 individuals stranded at a power project site in the state were brought to safety overnight, officials reported.

The cloudbursts, which occurred on Wednesday in Nirmand, Sainj, and Malana areas of Kullu, Padhar in Mandi, and Rampur in Shimla districts, caused the deaths of five people and left over 45 missing. Additionally, 33 individuals were trapped at the Malana II power project in the Manikaran area of Kullu district. Deputy Commissioner Kullu, Torul S Raveesh, confirmed that 29 out of the 33 individuals have been rescued.

“A wall and access to a tunnel were damaged due to the rains, and water entered the barrage. However, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and home guards managed to rescue 29 people. Four individuals remain in the power house,” Raveesh said.

Relatives of the missing individuals have gathered at the rescue sites. The Army, NDRF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, State Disaster Response Force, police, and home guards are all involved in the rescue efforts, utilizing drones to locate the missing persons.

The maximum damage was reported in the Samej area of Rampur subdivision in Shimla district. A cloudburst near Shrikhand Mahadev on Wednesday night triggered flash floods in Sarpara, Ganvi, and Kurban nallahs. As a result, the water level in Samej Khud in Shimla’s Rampur rose, leaving two people dead and about 30 missing. Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi stated, “We have to search about a 100-km area, some of which is inaccessible, and drones are being used to locate the missing people.”

Nali Ram, a senior citizen who managed to escape the flash floods with his family, recounted, “I heard the sound of gushing waters and came out of my house only to find the area around flooded.” The swelling of Samej Khud caused significant damage in Shimla and Kullu districts.

Another local, Neel Dutt, shared, “My father-in-law, who was working on a project, has been missing since last night. I, along with other relatives, came here in search of him.”

Reports indicate that over 20 houses, six shops, four main bridges, and two footbridges were washed away following the cloudbursts, disrupting road connectivity in the affected areas. Since the onset of the monsoon on June 27, 73 people have died in rain-related incidents, and the state has suffered losses amounting to Rs 649 crore, according to the state’s Emergency Operation Centre.