Multiple flashfloods in Himachal Pradesh: 4 dead, 6 labourers missing in Kangra, 9 swept away in Kullu

The meteorological department has issued a warning of light to moderate flashflood risk over the watersheds and neighbourhoods of Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Sirmaur and Chamba districts for the next 24 hours as the state is set to witness heavy to very heavy rain in isolated parts.

Search operations have been intensified to trace people missing since the flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in Himachal's Kangra and Kullu districts, officials said on Thursday.

Two persons died while about 20 were feared swept away due to heavy rains on Wednesday evening but some of the missing people have since been rescued.

In Kangra, flash floods, caused by a cloudburst, struck a rivulet near Khanyara village on Wednesday evening, sweeping away labourers working on the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Project. Six are missing, and four bodies have been recovered.

Over 170 workers were safely evacuated and sheltered by the local administration. Rescue operations continued Thursday, with drones deployed and one worker still unaccounted for in nearby forests.

Though officials termed it a natural disaster, some labourers blamed illegal mining and unsafe shelter placement near the rivulet for worsening the tragedy.

Three people at Rehla Bihal in Kullu district who were washed away in the deluge while trying to take away valuables from their homes are still missing.

Two teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and a team of home guards have been deployed at the spot and the National Disaster response Force (NDRF) has also been called for rescue efforts, Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa after visiting the site.

At the hydroelectric project site, six people are feared swept away by the floods while one person was seen fleeing to a nearby hill to save himself. His whereabouts are also not yet known, the DC said.

The rest have been rescued safely, he said, adding that search and rescue is the first priority.

Some of the missing people hail from Nurpur and Chamba areas of Himachal Pradesh and others from Uttar Pradesh. A dedicated team has been sent to find the man who went into the hills during the floods.

BJP national president J P Nadda expressed condolences to the bereaved families of the workers who were swept away due to sudden increase in water flow in Manuni Khad.

“In this hour of crisis, every BJP worker is dedicated to providing all possible help to the citizens of Devbhoomi. I pray to God to give peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the bereaved families”, he said in a statement issued here.

Dharamshala BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma who reached the spot on Thursday said the project site was one kilometer from his village. He said he received a call on Wednesday that the water level has surged and 15-20 people had been swept away.

Sharma said that building sheds for labourers near the drain, and not shifting them when the weather was unsafe areas was negligence and an investigation should be initiated.

The MLA also demanded adequate compensation to the family of the deceased.

According to officials, the project work had been suspended due to the rain, and the workers were resting in temporary shelters near the site when floodwaters from Manuni Khad and nearby drains diverted towards the labour colony, sweeping several of them them away.

In Kullu district, a search is underway to find three people who were swept away while trying to take away their valuables from their homes in Rehla Bihal area of Sainj.

Three cloudbursts incidents were reported from Jeeva Nallah and Rehla Bihal in Sainj and Shilagarh in Gadsa area of Kullu district.

Flash floods were also reported from Manali and Banjar in the district, and search operations were underway. With inputs from PTI