Himachal Pradesh Cloudburst: Five Dead, Sixteen Missing After Multiple Flash Floods

Himachal Cloudburst: Heavy devastation has been caused by cloudbursts at four locations in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Flooding and landslides have resulted in the death of five people so far, with sixteen others still missing.

Himachal Cloudburst: With the monsoon active across most of the country, three days of incessant rain in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have led to a critical situation. Four cloudbursts in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, have caused widespread devastation. Five people have died and sixteen are missing due to floods and landslides. Streams are overflowing in Mandi, and a landslide has blocked the Manali-Mandi four-lane highway at the tunnel entrance. In Uttarakhand, a landslide near Satpuli on the Kotdwar-Badrinath route has closed the Pauri-Meerut National Highway. The Yamunotri Highway in Uttarkashi is also closed. Meanwhile, Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is experiencing flood-like conditions on the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, and Alwar in Rajasthan has seen roads submerged under two feet of water.

Homes, Animal Shelters, and Bridges Destroyed

The heavy rain and floods have caused significant damage across the state. Numerous homes, animal shelters, and a bridge have been completely washed away in the Dharampur, Gohar, and Kotli areas of Mandi. Another bridge has also been swept away by floodwaters in the Bali Chowki area. Twenty-nine young women stranded at the DIET (District Institute of Education and Training) complex in Mandi have been moved to a Gurdwara and accommodated in a relief camp.

Yellow Alert in Six Districts

According to the meteorological department, there is no immediate relief in sight. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for floods in Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan districts. Heavy rain and lightning are expected until July 7th, prompting the issuance of orange and yellow alerts.

332 People Rescued

Rescue and relief operations are underway on a war footing across the state. The highest number of rescues, 233, have taken place in Mandi. Fifty-one people were rescued in Hamirpur and three in Chamba. In the village of Blah in Sujanpur Tehsil, Hamirpur, several people were trapped due to flooding in the Beas River and were rescued with the help of the police. The release of water from the Pandoh Dam increased the water level in the Beas River, endangering the Pandoh market area. Between 100 and 150 people were rescued from this area.

Heavy Rainfall for the Next Seven Days

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) stated on Tuesday that very heavy rainfall is likely in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana for the next six to seven days. A warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Jharkhand.