Shimla, Aug 2 – A severe cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district has left a trail of devastation, with three confirmed deaths, seven missing, and several homes washed away. The disaster, which struck the Rajban village near Terang in the Padhar subdivision on Wednesday night, has caused widespread panic and loss.
Residents of Rajban recounted their harrowing experiences as they sought refuge in the mountains to escape the flash floods. “Fear of death kept us awake all night,” said a local. The natural calamity resulted in the destruction of two houses and significant damage to another, leaving many in the village in shock.
The authorities have recovered the bodies of Chandi Devi (75), Chaitri Devi (90), and Baijru Ram (80). An injured individual, Ram Singh, 25, was rescued but remains in serious condition. “The bodies of my father-in-law and mother-in-law have been recovered, but my son, brother-in-law, his wife, and their two young children are still missing,” a distraught woman told PTI Videos.
The cloudburst was part of a series of similar incidents across Himachal Pradesh, which have caused five fatalities and left over 45 people missing. The affected areas include Nirmand, Sainj, and Malana in Kullu, Padhar in Mandi, and Rampur in Shimla.
In Shimla’s Rampur subdivision, the situation is dire, with over 30 people reported missing. Residents of the Sanej area described their narrow escape from the raging waters. “I heard the sound of gushing water and came out to find the area flooded. We had to rush to a safer location,” said Nali Ram, a senior citizen.
The impact of the cloudburst near Shrikhand Mahadev has been particularly severe in the Sarpara, Ganvi, and Kurban nallahs. The swelling of Samej Khud in Shimla has resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left approximately 30 people missing, according to Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi.
The disaster has also severely impacted infrastructure. Mohan Lal Kaptiya, Pradhan of Sarpara Panchayat, reported that about 29-30 houses, a primary health center, and a school have been washed away. In Kullu’s Malana village, residents have been left without road connectivity, leading to shortages of essential goods.
Since the onset of the monsoon on June 27, the state has suffered significant losses. According to the state’s Emergency Operation Centre, 73 people have died in rain-related incidents, with damage estimated at Rs 649 crore.
The state continues to grapple with the aftermath of these natural disasters as rescue and relief operations are underway.
