Flash floods caused by cloudbursts in Shimla, Kullu, and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh on July 31 have resulted in 22 deaths so far, with over 30 people still missing, according to officials as of Wednesday. The affected areas include Nirmand, Sainj, and Malana in Kullu; Padhar in Mandi; and Rampur in Shimla.
The village of Samej, under Sarpara Panchayat in the Rampur subdivision, has been hit hardest, with around 25 people gone missing. In Mandi’s Rajbhan village, nine bodies have been found, while three have been recovered from Nirmand and Bagipul in Kullu, and ten from Samej and surrounding areas in Shimla, including Dhadkol, Bro, and Sunni Dam.
Out of the 22 victims, six bodies were discovered on Wednesday—four in Shimla and two in Kullu. According to the police, twelve of the victims have been identified, and DNA samples are being collected to identify the remaining bodies.
Families of the missing, who have been at the site for a week, have lost hope and are now just praying for the recovery of bodies to perform last rites.
Assistant Commanding Officer of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Karam Singh, provided an update on the operations in Samej village: “It is raining but the joint search and rescue operations are underway.” He added, “The water level is rising in Sutlej River and slides are also occurring at multiple places. JCBs and other machines are being used to clear the roads. Our soldiers are skilled and cross the river through ropes to search the sites where there is any possibility of finding the missing people.”
With continued heavy rainfall, the local meteorological office has issued an orange alert for Wednesday and Saturday, warning of heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning in isolated areas of the state. The Met department also predicts an intensification of monsoon activity over the next five to six days, with widespread rainfall expected.
