Rains wreak havoc in Himachal, three killed

Shimla: Heavy overnight rains triggered massive landslides and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, leaving three members of a family dead and submerging a bus stand in Mandi district, officials said.

Many buses and other vehicles were swept away in the floods in Mandi district where one person has been reported missing.

Officials said a house collapsed following a landslide in Bragta village in Mandi district, leaving two women and a child dead

Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Apoorv Devgan told PTI that three bodies have been recovered while two persons have been rescued.

The critically injured persons were rushed to the nearest hospital.

A flash flood struck the Dharampur area in Mandi district late Monday night, submerging the main bus stand and adjacent commercial establishments.

The floodwaters caused significant destruction to public infrastructure and private property, including the washing away of few Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses and damage to houses, shops in the vicinity and numerous vehicles parked in and around the area.

One person is reported missing in the flash flood incident. The search for the missing individual is currently underway.

Shopkeepers and residents faced severe losses as floodwaters gushed into shops, damaging goods and infrastructure. Preliminary estimates suggest losses amounting to several crores.

Officials said the rains led to floods in Son and Bharand drains in Dharampur in Mandi district, resulting in flooding of a bus stand, damaging a workshop, pump houses, shops and over 20 buses. About 200 children trapped by waterlogging at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha area of Dehradun were rescued by an SDRF team, said Banshidhar Tiwari, Director General, Information.

Residents of Majhara village were on the road, having survived what they called a landslide that hit their dwellings early in the morning. They claimed that some people have gone missing.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the rain-affected areas of Dehradun district to review the situation on the ground. Local MLAs and senior officials accompanied him.