Tribune union extends aid to Himachal's cloudburst-hit families

A team led by The Tribune Employees Union president Anil Kumar Gupta visited several cloudburst-affected areas in Mandi district to extend support to distressed families grappling with loss and devastation.

The team toured many badly impacted locations, including gram panchayat Dhar Jarol (Jahehar, Sarar, Khulat and Pandavsheela villages), gram panchayat Bung Railchowk (Bayod, Railchowk and Gheadh villages), gram panchayat Tungadhar (Kutah village), gram panchayat Janjehli (Baila village), gram panchayat Pakhrer and Jhundi. The team also visited the Janjehli and Thunag region, one of the worst-hit areas of the district.

The team distributed essential household items and extended financial assistance to families who had lost their loved ones, homes and means of livelihood in the disaster. The initiative was aimed at helping them restore basic necessities and regain a sense of stability amid widespread destruction.

The recent series of cloudbursts in Mandi have caused unprecedented damage — washing away homes, fields, livestock and infrastructure. Entire families have been displaced, left landless and homeless. Many have lost their breadwinners, worsening the struggle for survival. Gupta said, “The magnitude of the destruction is heart-wrenching. While government agencies are providing assistance, there is a need to provide adequate shelter and livelihood support. We felt it was our moral responsibility to stand with them in this difficult time.”

He further appealed to both government authorities and civil society to intensify relief measures, expedite rehabilitation processes and ensure long-term assistance in the form of land restoration, housing support and livelihood generation.

The team emphasised that such humanitarian gestures must continue until the affected families are able to rebuild their lives.