Himachal Cloudbursts: Malana Dam Burst, City Faces Devastation Similar To Last Year

Two people have died, and several others are missing following separate cloudburst incidents in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday. The cloudbursts hit Shimla and Mandi districts, causing severe disruptions and extensive damage.

Meanwhile, a dam collapse in Malana has caused severe flooding, leading authorities and locals to urge residents to avoid the river and surrounding areas.

Search and rescue efforts are in full swing, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed to the affected regions.

Himachal Pradesh is experiencing widespread devastation due to relentless rainfall. In Kullu, a building collapsed on Thursday morning, and continuous downpours have damaged roads and dangerously elevated water levels in several rivers.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reported that over 50 individuals are missing in Rampur tehsil of Shimla, Padhar tehsil of Mandi, and the villages of Jaon and Nirmand in Kullu.

CM Sukhu is actively coordinating with officials and overseeing relief and rescue operations.

In a statement on 'X', CM Sukhu expressed his sorrow: "We have received very sad news about over 50 people missing due to cloudbursts in Rampur tehsil of Shimla, Padhar tehsil of Mandi, and Jaon and Nirmand villages in Kullu."

He added, "Teams from NDRF, SDRF, Police, Home Guard, and Fire Services are engaged in search and rescue efforts. The local administration has been directed to ensure smooth execution of relief operations. I am in constant touch with officials and monitoring the situation."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also closely observing the developments in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district due to the heavy rains and cloudburst. He has instructed top officials to ensure that all possible assistance is provided to those affected. Relief operations are in full swing, with 14 NDRF teams deployed to the impacted areas.

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The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been requested to remain on high alert to handle any exigency as the Met department predicted that heavy rainfall would continue for the next 36 hours.