SHIMLA, June 27: At least five people have died and five remain missing as torrential rains, cloudbursts, and flash floods wreak havoc across Himachal Pradesh. The hill state, already battered by extreme weather, is now on high alert, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for Sunday, June 29, warning of potential landslides and further flash floods across multiple districts.
The worst-affected areas include Kullu and Kangra, where cloudbursts and flash floods have struck multiple locations. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu confirmed that cloudbursts were reported at three sites and flash floods at nine across the state. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with the police and disaster response teams racing against time to locate the missing.
According to police, over 250 people have been rescued so far. In one particularly grim case from Kangra district, a survivor recounted how a group of labourers was swept away by a sudden flash flood. “One survivor was rescued from the forest and said he saw eight of his companions being swept away,” Kangra SP told ANI.
Flash floods have impacted not only human lives but also critical infrastructure. About 15 houses have been damaged, roads connecting several villages are in ruins, and a private power project along with an NHPC facility has suffered extensive damage. A cloudburst near Jiwa Trench Weir in Majhan Nallah and a surge in water flow have worsened conditions in the Kullu region, where two people are reported missing.
In Dharamshala’s Manuni area, where many of the affected were labourers at a power project, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are leading joint rescue operations. “Only our teams have managed to reach the site. One body has been recovered and six people are still missing,” said NDRF Commandant Baljinder Singh.
Tourism, a vital economic lifeline for Himachal, has also been hit hard. Roads to several popular destinations, including Manali, have been damaged. Though the Chief Minister has extended a welcome to tourists during the monsoon season, he has strongly urged them to avoid rivers and nallahs due to safety concerns.
Dramatic visuals emerging from the state show swollen rivers and vehicles being swept away by floodwaters, underscoring the scale of the disaster. Authorities have issued advisories urging people to stay away from hillsides and rivers, limit travel during rain, and follow IMD updates closely.
The IMD has forecast continued heavy rainfall over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and western Uttar Pradesh till July 1, raising concerns of further devastation if conditions persist. Emergency services remain on high alert across affected regions.
