33 Dead, 7 Swept Away As Flash Floods, Landslides And Cloudbursts Wreak Havoc In Himachal Pradesh

In Himachal Pradesh, there have been three major rain-related tragedies within a span of 24 hours.

Seven people were swept away by flash floods, adding to the already devastating death toll of 33 in the past two days.

The Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, shared a video clip from the Sambal village in Mandi district, expressing the ongoing efforts to rescue, search, and provide relief in this distressing situation.

This came after disturbing visuals emerged from Sambhal, Pandoh - District Mandi, where seven individuals were reported to be swept away by flash floods today.

The video footage captured the powerful force of the water gushing downhill, causing distress to the person behind the camera who repeatedly exclaimed "Oh God."

Earlier, two separate incidents related to heavy rains resulted in the loss of 16 lives.

Last night, a cloudburst in the Solan district claimed the lives of seven people, while nine others were killed in a landslide at a Shiv Temple in the Summer Hill area of Shimla city.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are currently involved in relief and rescue operations in rain-hit Himachal Pradesh, as stated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the public to stay indoors and avoid approaching drains or rivers.

The CM has also advised people to evacuate landslide-prone areas and requested tourists to refrain from visiting the state during this crisis.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Shimla Aditya Negi, there are concerns that 15 to 20 people may be buried in two landslides in Shimla city. The Fagli area has also been affected, with several houses being submerged in mud and slush.

Six people were rescued after a cloudburst occurred in Mamligh village of Kandaghat subdivision in Solan. The incident resulted in the destruction of two houses and one cowshed, as reported by news agency ANI.

The state emergency operation centre has reported that a total of 752 roads have been closed in the state due to the calamity.

The Indian Meteorological Department has attributed the heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand to a fresh spell of Western Disturbance.

According to the weather department, the Monsoon trough is currently positioned along the foothills of the Himalayas, causing the South-westerly Arabian Sea monsoonal winds to impact the Himalayan foothills.

Himachal Pradesh has suffered the most from floods and landslides, resulting in a staggering loss of ₹ 7020.28 crore. The devastating impact of the monsoon season is to blame for this significant loss.