5 cloud bursts shake Himachal Pradesh: What happened and where?

As heavy rains gripped the state, Shimla was the first city that was stuck by a cloudburst at around 1 am on Thursday. The hill station's Samej Khud area was struck by the natural calamity, damaging houses and destroying established areas in its wake. Water splashed in high volumes across the region, threatening to disrupt livelihood.

Manali's Thaltukod in the Padhar subdivision reported a similar incident. A cloudburst in the region claimed two lives and eight people have been reported missing. Rescue operations are underway, and drones have been deployed to locate those stuck amidst water and destroyed buildings. The natural calamity has caused traffic disruptions too, with the overflowing Beas river causing extensive damage to the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who took an update on the prevailing situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, has assessed the situation. National Disaster Response Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, police and home guards team have started rescue operations, and the Indian Army joined the operations late afternoon on Thursday. Officials are on the lookout for those who have been reported missing in the worst-impacted areas of the state.

A report by ANI revealed that the worst-impacted areas are in Manali, Shimla and Kullu districts. At least 50 people have been reported missing across the state, with rescuers on the quest to find the victims. The Shimla-Junga road was forced shut after a landslide in the region, and reports of vehicles being buried under the debris in Rajnagar in Chamba emerged.

The India Meteorological Department said that wet spell will continue in the state for the next four to five days. Owing to the disaster, Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses worth Rs 433 crores, per the state's Emergency Operation Centre.
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