Terrifying night left behind a trail of destruction; 5 persons swept away

On the fateful night of June 30, serenity soon turned into sorrow as a cloudburst over the hills of the Thunag region unleashed a trail of destruction, leaving only broken heartbreak behind. Once a peaceful township nestled in the heart of Seraj Assembly constituency, Thunag now stands as a shadow of its former self — devastated, flattened and scarred in ways that words alone can’t describe.

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Three furious water streams amid unrelenting rain ripped through the heart of Thunag, sweeping away lives, homes, dreams and livelihoods. The bustling market area that once echoed with chatter, commerce and community now lies buried under heaps of debris and silence. Around 115 houses and over 100 shops were damaged in this disaster, which swept away five persons. Just one body has been recovered, while four victims still missing.

Vimla Devi, a resident and survivor, still shivers at the thought of the disaster. “Debris and boulders crashed into our living room within minutes. But thanks to our neighbours’ warning, we ran for our lives and are alive,” she said with her voice trembling. She lost her house, cattle and her source of income — everything that supported her family. “We are alive, but we have nothing left,” she muttered, eyes welling up with tears.

Prem Singh, another victim, had nearly given up hope that night. As the water surged into his home, inch by inch, survival seemed impossible. “I broke a wall and jumped out,” he said, recalling the panic. “I ran with my family into the darkness, not knowing if we had made it. Now we are living in a relief camp.” He looks at his children and shakes his head — he does not know what tomorrow holds.

For Khila Devi and Munishwari Devi, the disaster was not only personal but financial. They had taken bank loans to start a tailoring and cosmetics shop in the Thunag market — both now obliterated. “Our shops were filled with mud and stones. Everything is gone — every machine, every item, every investment,” Khila said. Their voices were filled with grief, but also worry. “How will we repay the loans now?” asked Munishwari, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Umesh Kumari, who owned a beauty parlor in the market, is now waging a battle against the debris that buried her business. “I had built this from scratch. I do not know where to begin again,” she said.

Rajender Sharma, a local farmer, lost his home and agricultural land, the very foundation of his livelihood. “It feels like everything I built with my hands and hard work has been wiped away in a blink,” he said. “The future looks so dark now.”

In a corner of the HPPWD rest house now converted into a relief camp, Kuber Dutt sits with his wife and two children, trying to comfort them. “We saved our lives, but we lost everything else,” he said, gazing at his children, both students in higher classes. “Their studies have come to a standstill.”

These are just fragments of a much larger heartbreak. According to data from the district administration, 959 houses were damaged in the Thunag subdivision. A total of 395 cowsheds along with 559 cattle were lost. The market saw the destruction of over 190 shops. Vehicles lie buried under the rubble. Five lives were confirmed lost, with 19 still missing — four from Thunag alone. One body was recovered from the devastated market.

This is not the first time nature has devastated Thunag, but the residents say — this was the most brutal and devastating. “We have faced landslides and flashfloods before, but never like this,” said an elderly local man. “This time, it took away everything.”