At least two people were killed, while more than 10 people were reported missing after cloudbursts led to flash floods in parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, according to officials.
Two bodies were recovered, and nearly 10 were still missing in the Kangra district.
“So far, we have recovered two bodies, and efforts are still going on to find the people who were swept away in Kangra on Wednesday. The victims were working at a small hydroelectric power project near Dharamshala. We have asked the contractor for a detailed list of workers employed at the plant," Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa told The Indian Express.
The flash floods also wreaked havoc in Kullu, sweeping away three people, vehicles, and damaging several houses and a school building, officials said.
As many as three cloudburst incidents were reported from Jeeva Nallah and Rehla Bihal in Sainj and Shilagarh in the Gadsa area of the district. During the incident, three people who attempted to take valuables from their homes to safety were washed away and are currently missing, they added.
Horrific visuals of the floods surfaced, showing a car being swept away in muddy waters and properties being damaged.
According to Kullu Additional District Commissioner (ADC) Ashwani Kumar, flash floods also occurred in Manali and Banjar in the district. Search and rescue teams were on the spot, and operations were being carried out.
There were also reports of a sudden flood in the Brahma Ganga drain in Manikaran valley. The water has reached several houses and could cause damage if it doesn’t go down soon.
BJP MLA Surender Shourie said that there had been heavy rainfall since morning, due to which several areas were impacted. He also urged people to avoid going near rivers.
“There has been heavy rainfall since the morning. Sainj, Tirthan, and Garsa Valley are facing losses due to heavy rainfall. The Sainj stream is overflowing. I request that people not go near rivers and streams… There has been a cloudburst in Tirthan, and the roads are damaged. I am receiving information that a bridge has been swept away near Garsa," he told reporters.
The water levels of the Beas and Sutlej rivers have gone up. Meanwhile, police in Lahaul and Spiti said the road from Kaza to Samdoh is blocked in several spots due to landslides, falling rocks, and overflowing drains.
Source: ANI