Mandi, July 29:
A sudden flash flood triggered by heavy rains late Monday night wreaked havoc in the temple town of Mandi, leaving three people dead and one woman missing and dozens of families in distress.
Jai Road, one of the town’s busiest stretches and along with Sain Mohalla bore the brunt of the fury as muddy water gushed in, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles.
The visuals coming from the site were terrifying. The locals almost cut through the blocked window , drained floodwaters and rescued a woman.
The floodwaters, which surged in post-midnight hours, caught residents off guard. The nallah got blocked due to construction and wrong planning and the flood water inundated the Jai Road that turned into a furious flood.
Many had to flee their homes in panic as rain-fed streams overflowed, inundating the lower-lying areas of the town.
Vehicles parked along the roadside were either submerged or swept away, with several burnt or damaged beyond recognition under layers of silt and debris.
Residents described the scene as terrifying. “It felt like the entire hill came down.
The flood in Skeodi nallah that comes from upper hillsides pumped the debris into our shops and houses that have come up along the Nallah.
We could barely save ourselves,” said a local shopkeeper near Jai Road.
Authorities have launched a search and rescue operation to trace the missing person.
While officials have confirmed three deaths while one woman is missing, and damage assessment is underway.
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and local MLA Anil Sharma rushed to the affected sites on Tuesday morning to meet the victims and take stock of the situation.
Speaking to the media, Jai Ram Thakur said, “This is a tragedy that reflects the increasing frequency of natural disasters in Himachal. Immediate assistance must be provided, and preventive measures taken before the next spell of rain.”
Deputy Commissioner Mandi has appealed to the public to stay away from riverbanks and notified vulnerable zones as rains continue to lash the region.
More rainfall is predicted in the coming days, raising fresh concerns about further flash floods or landslides in the district.
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