Monsoon fury: 20 missing after cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh, heavy rains in Uttarakhand too

Heavy rainfall battered the hill states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, throwing normal life out of gear.

At least 20 people are reported to be missing after a cloudburst in Rampur, Shimla. The local authorities said the disaster management authority received information about a cloudburst close to a hydroelectric power project at Samej Khad early today.

A response team for emergencies has been dispatched to the location, with key officials such as Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and district police chief Sanjeev Gandhi enroute.

Kashyap said, "As per the reports we have received, approximately 20 individuals are missing from the region impacted by the cloudburst."

The cloudburst has disrupted road access in the vicinity, prompting the rescue teams to trek to the affected area.

Himachal Pradesh's Mandi which is about 125 km from Shimla is also affected from cloudbursts. Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan said cloudbursts in Rajban village near Muhal Terang has led to road blockades and landslides.

"Under these circumstances, movement of staff, school and college children, and trainees may not be safe and should be restricted," the Deputy Commissioner said, announcing that all educational institutions and vocational training centres in Padhar subdivision must remain shut.

The heavy monsoon rains have also impacted daily life in Uttarakhand too. A cloudburst in Jakhanyali, Tehri Garhwal district, resulted in the unfortunate demise of two individuals, namely Bhanu Prasad (50) and Anita Devi (45).

A representative from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) mentioned that they were informed about three people missing following a cloudburst last night.

"During the search, SDRF recovered two bodies and found an injured person in a 200-metre-deep ditch. He was brought out on a stretcher," the spokesperson said, according to an ANI report.

In Haridwar, two children lost their lives, and nine others got injured when the roof of a rundown house collapsed due to heavy rainfall, as per an official.

The deceased were identified as Aas Mohammed (10) and Nagma (8). District Magistrate Dhiraj Singh Garbyal informed ANI that three of the injured individuals are in critical condition. "The rest are also hospitalized but are stable. This old house was in a deteriorated state, and the heavy rain led to its collapse," he stated.