Kinnaur, Sept 19: A devastating cloudburst struck Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district in the early hours of Friday, unleashing flash floods that swept away vehicles, damaged homes, orchards, and fields, and left residents scrambling for safety.
The incident occurred around 12:10 a.m. in Thach village, where three adjoining mountain streams suddenly overflowed, sweeping away two vehicles and inundating large parts of the settlement. Villagers reported panic as families fled their homes and took refuge in nearby forests.
In Mastan village, parts of homes and a cowshed were washed away, while several orchards were destroyed. The houses of at least four villagers, including Ranveer, are reportedly at risk of collapse.
Elsewhere in the state, relentless rains continued to wreak havoc. In Shimla, a landslide near Edward School disrupted traffic on the city’s vital Circular Road, while a three-storey house collapsed in Kumarsain’s Karevathi area. In Mandi district, a cloudburst earlier this week washed away HRTC buses, private vehicles, and submerged homes and shops in Dharampur.
According to official data, 424 people have lost their lives to monsoon-related disasters in Himachal this year. Over 650 roads, including three national highways, remain blocked, crippling connectivity and essential supplies.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has declared Himachal a disaster-hit state, estimating cumulative damages of more than ₹20,000 crore over the past three years. He has appealed to the Centre for urgent relief and financial assistance.
Residents say the ongoing floods and landslides are among the worst in recent memory, drawing comparisons to the catastrophic 2015 floods.