Cloudburst triggers flash flood in Himachal’s Kullu; 3 men and 4 houses washed away

Kullu: A cloudburst struck the Sainj Valley in Kullu district, triggering a powerful flash flood that washed away three men and four houses. Multiple structures were damaged and a private power project was submerged, as the region reels from the impact of yet another extreme weather event in the Himalayas.

The cloudburst occurred around 1:41 pm on Wednesday near Jeeva Nallah, downstream of the Jiwa Trench Weir in Majhan Nallah, a part of the Sainj Valley. According to the Himachal Pradesh State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Shimla, the sudden flooding is believed to have swept two women and a man into the Jeeva Nallah, and they remain missing.

Local resident Chaitram, speaking to ANI, said: “The flood swept away two women and a man, and they are missing... It has happened before also.” Another resident, Anmol, recounted that the cloudburst occurred behind a waterfall just above the last house in the village. “Soon after the cloudburst, three men and four houses were washed away along with the surge. The water pressure rose sharply. A one-megawatt private power project here is now completely submerged and shut down. Even the NHPC project in the area has been fully closed,” he added.

Rescue and relief operations in progress

In the wake of the disaster, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to the affected area. NDRF Inspector Deepak Bisht confirmed that their team has reached the valley and is assisting in ongoing search and rescue operations. “Our NDRF team has arrived here. We received information that three people are missing, and now we are assisting. Whatever happens in the area afterwards, we will find out based on the information we get,” he stated.

Wider weather alert in Himachal and northern India

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), isolated heavy rainfall is likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh from June 25 to July 1, increasing the risk of further landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts across the region.

The IMD has urged state authorities and residents in vulnerable zones to remain alert and prepared for additional extreme weather events in the coming days.