Officials said that three villages - Ganvi, Kiao, and Koot - have lost connectivity.
- Cloudburst caused flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, damaging infrastructure and stranding people
- Two bridges in Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti were washed away due to floods
- Over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed statewide
A cloudburst triggered massive flash floods in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday evening, leaving people stranded and damaging key infrastructure. According to officials, two small bridges in Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti were washed away, and over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed across the state. Many houses and the electricity board office in Shimla have also been damaged.
A police post was swept away in the floods in Ganvi Ravine, while a bus stand and adjoining shops were damaged in the flash floods.
Officials said that three villages - Ganvi, Kiao, and Koot - have lost connectivity.
However, no deaths have been reported so far.
Videos showed raging waters washing away houses and shops in the hilly state. In one of the clips, flash floods can be seen entering Himachal Pradesh's Bathad village.
Another video shows raging waters in Spiti.
Landslides have also been reported at many other locations, adding to the disruption caused by the poor weather. Kullu District Collector Torul S Ravish said two cloudbursts hit Kullu district, leading to a sudden rise in water levels and prompting swift evacuations in affected areas, reported news agency ANI.
In Kinnaur, flash floods left four people stranded and one injured. The Indian Army stepped in to help and rescued them.
"On receiving an urgent request from the superintendent of police, Kinnaur, the Army immediately mobilised a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column. Braving darkness, fast currents and unstable terrain, the team reached the location and discovered four civilians stranded on the far bank of the river," the army said in a statement on X.
Himachal Pradesh has witnessed heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides this season. Over 240 rain-related deaths have been reported since June 20, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). Mandi district recorded the highest number of rain-related deaths, followed by Kangra.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court flagged the ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh and cautioned that the entire state may "vanish in thin air" if the situation does not change. Observing that the situation in the hilly state has gone from bad to worse, the top court said climate change is having a "visible and alarming impact" on the state.
"We want to impress upon the state government and Union of India that earning revenue is not everything. Revenue cannot be earned at the cost of environment and ecology. If things proceed the way they are as on date, the day is not far when the entire state of HP may vanish in thin air from the map of the country. God forbid this doesn't happen," a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said.
