Cloudburst in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh Causes Major Damage

A cloudburst occurred in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, causing an estimated loss of Rs 50 to 60 lakh, according to Chamba Sub-Divisional Magistrate Arun Kumar.

Chamba SDM Arun Kumar said, “There has been a lot of damage, roads have also been damaged. Instructions have been given to the rest of the officials including field staff, and restoration work is going on. There is no loss of life. There has been damage to 8 to 10 vehicles. There is a temple whose walls have been damaged. Loss worth 50 to 60 lakh has been estimated.”

He further advised people to stay indoors and park vehicles in safe locations.

A local resident said that it rained heavily after 1.30 pm and a cloudburst occurred due to which several vehicles have been damaged. “A cloudburst occurred and 10 to 12 vehicles have been damaged. Roads have been damaged. Administration should construct concrete roads so that such incidents do not result in heavy losses,” he added.

Another resident said that a link road of 950 meters has been damaged and potholes of 8 to 10 feet depth have been formed on the roads. “SDM, SDO PWD visited the place. We have asked for compensation for people whose vehicles have been damaged. We have also requested for demarcation of road so that losses are less if such incident occurs in future,” he added.

The Indian Army has mobilized its resources in response to recent natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh. Following cloudbursts and small-scale landslides in various locations, the districts of Shimla and Mandi have been significantly affected. The Indian Army has promptly mobilized its assets for rescue operations and the Indian Army’s three columns, with a total strength of 125 personnel, one Engineer Task Force and one Medical Team consisting of 20 personnel, have been deployed at the cloudburst site of Shimla district in Himachal Pradesh.