Two people were killed and over a dozen are missing after cloudbursts led to flash floods in several districts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, June 25, officials have said.
While two bodies were recovered and at least 10 people were reported missing in the Kangra district after the Khaniyara Manuni Khad overflowed due to a sudden rise in water levels, three people and as many houses have been washed away in the Kullu district.
The victims in the Kangra district were among a cohort of workers stationed at a labour colony near the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project site. Work has been suspended due to rain, and the employees are now resting in temporary shelters near the site.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local administration, gram panchayat and revenue department have arrived at the site to conduct search and rescue efforts. Officials said that some local workers linked to the project have been found safe.
The cloudburst was part of a larger wave of extreme weather events that has slammed the region as the monsoon settles in. Torrential rain has battered Himachal Pradesh, swelling mountain streams and rivers and washing away homes and vehicles. At least four cloudburst incidents were reported in Banjar, Gadsa, Manikaran and Sainj of Kullu district, officials said.
As a result, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain in the Kullu, Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmour and Solan districts, along with a couple of places in the Una district in the next 24 hours. The alert will remain in effect till Thursday evening (June 26).
Videos circulating on social media showed the extent of the flooding, with houses and vehicles being swept away by muddy floods and debris.
The Manali-Chandigarh National Highway was partially damaged near the hill station of Manali as the Beas River in spate cut into a part of the highway. However, vehicular traffic is still moving as of publication.
In the hills adjoining Manikaran, intense rainfall triggered a cloudburst in the Brahmaganga area, leading to a rise in the water level of the Brahmaganga River. As a result, debris entered several homes, forcing residents to flee to safer locations.
A temporary bridge over the Parvati River in the Baladhi village of Manikaran valley was swept away due to rising water levels. A portion of the bridge was destroyed, severing access to the village. The bridge had been built by the villagers themselves after a disaster in 2024.
Meanwhile, in the Thural area of Kangra district, a two-hour-long downpour flooded the market, causing severe inconvenience to pedestrians and shopkeepers. In the tribal region of the Udaipur sub-division in Lahaul, the Chokhang–Nainghar road was blocked when a nearby stream suddenly swelled, damaging the roadway. Vehicle movement on this route has come to a halt. A Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus got stranded after part of the road washed away. The Public Works Department has begun road repair work.
Additionally, the rise in the Chandrabhaga River level led to the collapse of a suspension bridge near Jasrath village, cutting off an irrigation scheme.
In yet another incident, due to heavy rains, the flow of a stream near Dekhchhu in Dharampur on the Jalandhar-Attari-Mandi National Highway was blocked by dumped soil intended for an under-construction bridge. This obstruction turned the stream into a lake, submerging the Gasia Mata temple, a sarai (inn) and a cremation ground. The halted streamflow has put several villages at risk.
Given the heightened risk of floods, landslides and cloudbursts following the active monsoon, the Himachal Pradesh Police has issued an advisory.
All district Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been instructed to alert and activate emergency response teams. Officials have been directed to inspect vulnerable locations and share emergency contact numbers with the public. The centralised emergency number in Himachal Pradesh is 112. For specific emergencies, you can also contact the police at 100.
People are advised to stay away from hillsides and water bodies and avoid unnecessary travel. Sensitive areas are to be monitored continuously, and local authorities must strictly follow guidelines when releasing water from dams.
(With inputs from multiple news reports)