Shimla, July 25,
A devastating cloudburst late last night wreaked havoc above Manali, a popular tourist destination in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. The area of Palchan, near Anjani Mahadev adjacent to Solanganala, was hard hit, leading to widespread destruction and a pervasive sense of fear among the villagers.
The floodwaters caused by the cloudburst led to the collapse of a house in Palchan. Also reportedly, a power project situated in the river sustained significant damage.
Even the Manali-Leh highway via Atal tunnel has been rendered impassable due to debris, including large rocks, blocking the route, confirmed the local Sub Divisional magistrate Raman Sharma. This obstruction has left vehicles stranded on both sides, with no immediate prospect of the road being cleared before the afternoon. Currently machinery has been deployed and how soon the road be opened cannot be said, he added. The connection between Lahaul Valley and Manali has also been cut off through the Rohtang tunnel.
“However the road via Rohtang pass is functional,” added the Manali SDM.
Pictures on social media also display that debris flow is even being witnessed on the Solang bridge which connects the area with Palchaan.
Emergency response teams, including officials from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), have arrived on the scene and are working to restore the road and assess the damage.
This event follows a similar cloudburst on Saturday in Retua village of Sirmaur district, which claimed one life and caused extensive damage, triggering widespread panic in the village as torrents of water and debris flowed through the area.
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