Three washed away in flashflood in Sainj Valley of Kullu district

Sudden cloudbursts and heavy rainfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts unleashed powerful torrents, sweeping away homes, vehicles and critical road links across different valleys.

Advertisement

In Raila Bihal in Sainj Valley, three persons, including two women, are feared washed away after floodwaters tore through four houses and a makeshift shop. Eyewitnesses report that the victims were scrambling to salvage their belongings when the deluge suddenly struck. The adjacent Siund road has been washed out, leaving an NHPC maintenance shed dangling and cutting off Bihali village from relief teams. A jeep and a scooty were swept away in the swollen Siund nullah near Sainj market.

The Kasol nullah in Parbati Valley, Jivah nullah in Sainj and Snow Gallery in Manali had their banks damaged within minutes of heavy rain.

In Banjar’s Horangarh area and Garsa Valley’s Neuli nullah, swollen waters infiltrated homes and blocked roads. A parking lot in Kasol was inundated, damaging more than 20 vehicles. Temporary footbridges and small culverts gave way, further isolating hamlets downstream.

State Disaster Management Director DC Rana confirmed that alerts from the weather department are being relayed to the SDRF and the NDRF units with flash-flood warnings broadcast via the Sahchet mobile app.

Local authorities have cautioned residents to stay clear of all nullahs and riverbanks. People in lower-lying sectors of Sainj and Parbati valleys have been advised to evacuate immediately if water levels continue to rise.

The Aut–Luhri–Sainj National Highway 305 is closed to traffic. Two state ministers, Chander Kumar (Agriculture & Animal Husbandry) and Rajesh Dharmani (Technical Education & Vocational Training), were caught off guard en route to Banjar’s World Heritage Festival and remained stranded until roads reopened.

In Lahaul-Spiti, flash floods and landslides have blocked the Kaza–Sumdo and Sissu–Keylong road stretches. Several tourists sustained minor injuries when caught in a rockfall near Kaza while some vehicles were crushed under debris. Another vehicle was damaged due to a landslide on Sissu-Keylong road. Residents and visitors have been urged to postpone travel plans until further notice, as restoration teams work to clear blockages.

With the monsoon intensifying, officials anticipate further cloudbursts in high-altitude catchments. Authorities recommend monitoring official alerts via the Sahchet app, securing loose belongings and livestock above flood lines.