Himachal rain: Woman killed in Shimla's Rampur, one missing from Kullu

Hindustan Times

a day ago

A 20-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a boulder in the Rampur sub division of Shimla district, while a man went missing after being swept away in the Parvati river in the Manikaran area of Kullu district on Thursday as Himachal Pradesh witnessed three cloudbursts, triggering floods and landslides. Two vehicles buried under the debris after mudslide on Lakkar Bazaar-IGMC road in Shimla on Thursday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)
Mira Hamza, a resident of Taklech, was hit by a boulder rolling down a hill near Kholti Nala in Rampur and succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital, officials said, adding that a search was on for the unidentified man who fell into the swollen Parvati river at Chowki in Manikaran in the morning.
In another incident, a truck skidded and fell into a gorge near Juni village on the Mandhar-Palyar Road in Shimla district. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Shimla, said both occupants of the truck are safe.
Cloudbursts occurred at Shrikhand hill in Nirmand sub division, Bathadh hill of Tirthan Valley in Banjar sub division of Kullu district and at Nanti in Shimla's Rampur area on Wednesday night.
People making their way over the debris after a landslide on Chamyana road near Bhattakufer in Shimla on Thursday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)
Due to the cloudburst at Shrikhand hill, the Kurpan ravine was flooded and the Bagipul market was evacuated by the administration. Kutcha houses on the bank of the Tirthan river were damaged and vehicles washed away.
Road connectivity to Ganvi, Kiao, Koot, Kinfi, Kutru, Suru, Roopni, Khanidhar, Kheuncha of three gram panchayats of Ganvi, Kiao and Koot in Rampur area of Shimla district was snapped. Sheds, shops and houses of 26 people in Ghanvi besides a police post and a store of the electricity department were damaged, the officials said.
Danger looms large over Karpat village due to floods triggered by cloudbursts in the Karpat, Changut and Udgos Nala of the Mayad valley in Lahaul and Spiti district.
The road leading to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, was closed following a landslide in which two vehicles were damaged. Trees got uprooted in several areas of Shimla city.
Due to the cloudburst in the hills behind Khaltunala of Kotkhai in Shimla district around 3am on Thursday, a flash flood was witnessed in which more than six vehicles and a part of a petrol pump got buried. The employees working at the pump fled for their lives.
Flash floods in Lahaul-Spiti
In Kinnaur district, a flash flood at Hojo Nallah in Pooh swept away two campers, a Bolero, a JCB, a tipper, and a bailey bridge.
The flash flood in Changreji Khadd and Tashigang washed away irrigation channels and pipelines critical for farmers.
A cloudburst in Bathad tore through the area, sweeping away at least three houses and vehicles, while a flash flood at Kurpan Khad, Baghipul caused disruption but no major reported damage.
Lahaul and Spiti reported multiple simultaneous incidents — flash floods near Jahalman, a cloudburst at Munni Nallah that blocked roads and damaged a bridge abutment, a flood near Khurik that halted traffic on National Highway-505, and separate floods at Dared Nallah and Shakoli Nallah that left link roads blocked.
Sirmaur's Rajgarh region was hit by a landslide that killed four cattle, injured another, damaged a cowshed, and swept a car nearly 100 metres down a slope.
Water supply hit in Shimla
Shimla's water supply was affected along with over 130 other water schemes across Himachal Pradesh disrupted due to heavy rainfall and high turbidity.
Sahil Sharma, spokesperson for Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited, said the water level at Chaba is currently at booster stage, while the Gumma pumping stations are battling floodwaters that have reached houses near Nauti Khad.
Heavy flow was reported from the upstream catchment area of Shalli even as the Bharari storage tank underwent cleaning just on Wednesday.
Sharma cautioned that most areas will face water shortage on Thursday as intake from sources has dropped to negligible levels. 'We don't maintain large storage reserves. Supply is made simultaneously to keep pressure balanced across distribution tanks. With today's supply suspended, taps could run dry until restoration work is completed,' he warned, advising residents to use water sparingly.
Army rescues four people in Kinnaur
The army rescued four people, one of who was injured, after a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the higher reaches of Rishi Dogri valley in Kinnaur district on Wednesday evening and the bridge across the Sutlej river was inundated. The site was an active road construction zone under the CPWD towards Gangthang Bralam.
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. Working with precision under challenging conditions, the HADR team illuminated the general area to aid night rescue operations. They also guided the stranded civilians to higher and safer ground and evacuated the injured individual to Regional Hospital, Reckong Peo.