CHAMBA, Aug. 27 — Torrential rains and flash floods have wreaked havoc across Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, snapping mobile and internet services and cutting off all road access with landslides.
A swollen Ravi river submerged a major portion of Haloon village, washing away at least nine houses and putting several more at risk. Authorities said the houses had been evacuated in time, preventing casualties. Social media reports indicated that nearly half the village had been destroyed due to soil erosion caused by the river’s strong current.
The situation in Dalhousie was equally alarming, with local MLA D.S. Thakur reporting six cloudburst incidents in a single day. Over 50 houses are under threat, while electricity, water supply and phone connectivity have remained disrupted for two days.
In Bharmour, where communication lines have also been down for two days, BJP MLA Dr. Janak Raj said even the district administration was struggling to coordinate rescue and restoration efforts. Fears mounted that devotees on the Mani Mahesh Yatra could be stranded at several points.
A few pilgrims facing health complications were airlifted from Bharmour by helicopter, but the number and whereabouts of others remain unclear due to poor connectivity. The district administration has requested Army assistance to restore communication and aid rescue operations.
