Himachal weather: Cloudbursts, flash floods hit several districts; 2 dead, 6 missing; Beas river swells, homes washed away

A series of cloudbursts and intense rainfall triggered flash floods in parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, killing two people and leaving at least six missing. The incidents caused widespread destruction across Kangra and Kullu districts. Flash floods swept away homes, damaged infrastructure, and raised water levels in key rivers such as the Beas.

In the Sainj sub-tehsil of Kullu district, a cloudburst near Jeeva Nalla led to sudden flooding that swept away four houses. Another cloudburst in the Siund area damaged temporary sheds and an emergency response vehicle at a private hydroelectric project.

Himachal Weather: Met department issues rain, wind alerts across multiple districts

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Shimla has predicted light to moderate rainfall in many areas, with isolated spells of intense rain, gusty winds (30–40 kmph), and moderate thunderstorms likely in districts including Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Mandi. Rainfall is expected to continue through the coming days, raising concern about more flash floods and landslides.

River Beas in spate

In Mandi district, the River Beas saw a sharp rise in water levels due to continuous rainfall. Drone visuals captured strong currents flowing over the weekend. However, with a decrease in rainfall over the last 24 hours, inflow into the river system has reduced, and the water level at Pandoh Dam is gradually coming down, providing some relief to residents and the administration.

Rescue operations underway in Kangra after flash flood near hydro site

Two bodies were recovered from the Manuni stream near a hydroelectric project in Kangra district. Flash floods, caused by a sudden surge in the Khanyara stream, hit a labour settlement near the project site on Wednesday. Six people are still missing. A team of NDRF personnel has reached Dharamshala to assist in ongoing rescue efforts.

Deputy Commissioner of Kangra Hemraj Bairwa confirmed the incident. “We have recovered two dead bodies. SDRF, police, SDM and the district authorities teams are at the spot. We are getting the headcount done to ascertain the number of people missing. More details are awaited. The situation is not as grim as it is being projected,” he said.

Private power project hit in Kullu

In Kullu’s Sainj Valley, heavy rainfall led to a cloudburst in the Siund area, causing flash floods that damaged infrastructure linked to a private power project. Temporary shelters and an emergency vehicle were swept away.

The incident occurred near a small hydropower project located at the confluence of multiple mountain streams, where a sudden surge of water caught workers and nearby residents off guard.