At least two people died and about 20 are missing after heavy rain, flash floods, and cloudbursts hit parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. The most serious damage happened in Kangra and Kullu districts.

In Kangra, two bodies were found in the Manuni Khad river. Around 15–20 workers are feared missing after a sudden flood swept away a labour colony near the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project. The Khaniyara Manuni Khad overflowed due to a rise in water levels caused by nonstop rain.

Officials said the hydroelectric project work had already been stopped because of the rain. The workers were resting in temporary shelters near the site when the floodwaters from Manuni Khad and nearby drains rushed toward them. The strong flow washed away the workers.

Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local administration, gram panchayat, and revenue department have reached the area. Some workers linked to the project have been found safe, officials confirmed.

Dharamshala BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma visited the area and said, "According to me, 15 to 20 people have been swept away due to the sudden rise in water flow. We stand with the affected families. They should be given proper compensation. Such a big tragedy has happened here. The government should be sensitive and take cognisance of this..."

In Kullu district, cloudbursts were reported in three places: Jeeva Nallah, Rehla Bihal in Sainj, and Shilagarh in the Gadsa area. Officials said three people in Rehla Bihal went missing after trying to save their belongings from floodwaters.

Flash floods were also reported from Manali and Banjar. Kullu Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ashwani Kumar said search operations are still going on.

In Manali, the Beas River, which is in spate, damaged a part of the Manali-Chandigarh National Highway. However, vehicles are still being allowed on the road. Videos from Kullu show vehicles floating in muddy water and damaged roads.

In the Banjar subdivision, a bridge was washed away in the Hornagad area. Floodwaters also entered a government school, ruined agriculture fields, and damaged a cowshed.

Water levels in the Beas and Sutlej rivers have also gone up.

In Lahaul and Spiti district, the police reported that the road from Kaza to Samdoh is blocked in several places due to landslides, fallen rocks, and water coming from drains.

Weather warning issued for next four days

The Meteorological Department (MeT) has warned of a “low to moderate” flash flood risk in five districts — Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur — until Thursday evening.

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