Three dead and a dozen missing as torrential rains cause flash flood in north India
India is likely to see above-average monsoon rains for the second straight year in 2025. - Photo: AFP
NEW DELHI: Three people died and at least a dozen are feared missing after being swept away in a flash flood triggered by torrential rains in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, local authorities said on Thursday (June 26).
A rescue operation has been launched to trace the missing, said Dinesh Sharma, a local government spokesperson in Kangra.
The town is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from Dharamshala, a popular tourist destination known for its Tibetan culture and as the home of Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama.
Sudhir Sharma, a lawmaker from Dharamshala, said in a social media post that at least 15 to 20 workers resting in a temporary shed near the site of a hydroelectricity power project were swept away after water levels at a local reservoir rose suddenly late Wednesday.
In a status report issued Thursday, the state government confirmed at least eight people were missing in Kangra and three in nearby Kullu.
The authorities have evacuated around 50 stranded tourists to safer places in the state.
The state government confirmed three people died, but did not provide details.
Flash floods and cloudbursts are common in India's mountain states such as Himachal Pradesh during the monsoon season.
Deforestation to make way for infrastructure development and expansion of hydel power projects has often led to calls by critics for environmental accountability and disaster preparedness in such states. - AP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Pakistan flash floods and heavy rain kill 32, including 16 children
Pakistan is one of the countries in the world which are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. - Photo: AFP PESHAWAR, (Pakistan): Heavy rain and flash flooding across Pakistan have killed 32 people including 16 children since the start of the monsoon season this week, disaster management officials said. Flash floods and roof collapses over the past 36 hours have claimed the lives of 19 people, eight of them children, a statement Saturday by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial disaster management authority said. Of the total fatalities, 13 were reported from northwestern Swat Valley. At least 13 people have also been killed in the eastern province of Punjab since Wednesday, the area's disaster management authority said. Eight of the fatalities were children, who died when walls and roofs collapsed during heavy rain. Flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also damaged 56 houses, six of which were destroyed, the disaster authority said. The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday. Last month, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms in the South Asian nation, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million inhabitants are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. - AFP
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
5.3-magnitude earthquake strikes central Pakistan, no casualties reported
ISLAMABAD: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck central Pakistan early Sunday morning, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor occurred at approximately 3:30am local time (2230 GMT), with its epicentre located 60 kilometres north-northeast of Barkhan in Balochistan province. No immediate casualties or damage were reported following the shallow quake. Pakistan lies along the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it highly vulnerable to seismic activity. The region's rugged terrain often complicates disaster response efforts. In 2015, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Pakistan and Afghanistan claimed nearly 400 lives, with relief operations hindered by difficult access. The 2005 Kashmir earthquake, measuring 7.6, was even more devastating, resulting in over 73,000 fatalities and displacing 3.5 million people. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, has faced multiple quakes in recent years. A 2021 tremor in Harnai district killed at least 20 people, with landslides delaying rescue efforts.
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
5.3-magnitude quake hits central Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: A magnitude-5.3 earthquake struck central Pakistan on Sunday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the shallow quake, which USGS reported had occurred around 3.30am (2230 GMT) with the epicentre around 60 kilometres (37 miles) north-northeast of Barkhan, a city in Pakistan's mountainous Balochistan province. Pakistan straddles the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making the country susceptible to earthquakes. The region can be challenging to navigate during crisis situations -- in 2015, a 7.5-magnitude quake in Pakistan and Afghanistan killed almost 400 people across rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts. The country was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake in 2005 that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Balochistan province, Pakistan's largest, saw a quake in 2021 that killed at least 20 people and left more than 10 injured, with landslides hampering initial rescue efforts in the remote mountainous district of Harnai. - AFP
