Hyderabad: Cloudbursts and incessant rains triggered flash floods and landslides across Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, leaving trails of destruction and displacing thousands of people. The states reported heavy damage to infrastructure, crops and houses as rescue operations continued.
In Himachal Pradesh, multiple districts including Mandi, Kullu, Shimla and Chamba witnessed cloudbursts that swept away roads and bridges. Traffic on key highways was disrupted after landslides blocked stretches of the Chandigarh-Manali and Shimla-Kinnaur routes. Officials said rescue teams worked round the clock to clear debris and evacuate residents trapped in remote villages.
Punjab villages submerged as rivers swell
In neighbouring Punjab, heavy rainfall caused major rivers, including the Sutlej and Beas, to overflow, submerging villages in Jalandhar, Ropar and Hoshiarpur districts. Fields of standing paddy and maize were destroyed, while floodwaters entered houses in low-lying colonies. Relief camps were set up to provide temporary shelter and food to displaced families.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army and state disaster management teams were deployed in both states. Officials said helicopters were pressed into service to airlift stranded people from inaccessible zones.
Authorities in both Himachal and Punjab urged residents to remain vigilant as more rainfall was forecast in the coming days. The disaster has sparked demands for long-term measures to strengthen river embankments, improve early warning systems and rehabilitate vulnerable communities.
