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Journalism of Courage
Several districts in Himachal Pradesh were hit by multiple cloudbursts on Wednesday, leaving two people dead and over a dozen missing. Social media has since been flooded with alarming videos capturing the scale of the devastation caused due to four cloudburst incidents across the Kullu district, Banjar, Gadsa, Manikaran, and Sainj
In one video shared by All India Radio News on X, the Beas River is seen raging, sweeping away debris and tree trunks in its path.
Watch the viral video here:
In another video shared by the Instagram handle @kasol_scenic_valley, water can be seen flowing through several vehicles parked in the Parvati Valley. As the video progresses, tourists and locals can be seen cautiously crossing a bridge. “We urge everyone — locals and travelers — to stay away from rivers and streams, avoid unnecessary travel, and remain alert,” the caption read.
A video from Kasol’s Grahan Nala Parking shows parked vehicles engulfed in the raging water. Sharing the video, an X user, Reshma Kashyap, wrote, “After a cloudburst in Kullu, flood-like conditions swept through, engulfing vehicles parked at Kasol’s Grahan Nala parking. A sense of fear prevails among people, hoping a tragedy like #2023 does not strike again.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Hemraj Bairwa, Kangra’s deputy commissioner, said, “We have recovered two bodies so far, and efforts are underway to trace people who got washed away in Kangra on Wednesday… The victims were working at a small hydroelectric power project near Dharamshala, Kangra. We have sought a detailed list of workers employed at the plant from the contractor concerned.”
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Shimla has issued an orange alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours in several districts, including Kullu, Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan, with isolated areas in Una also expected to be affected. The warning will be in effect until Thursday evening.
