Nahan, Aug 4
Heavy rain continued to batter Sirmaur district on Tuesday, triggering flash floods, waterlogging and landslides that disrupted normal life, while a three-hour rescue operation safely evacuated 25 people trapped in a swollen rivulet.
The most dramatic incident occurred at Katasan Khad in the Nahan Assembly constituency along the Dehradun-Chandigarh National Highway, where 25 members of four Gujjar families were stranded after a sudden surge in the water level following intense rainfall.
Superintendent of Police NS Negi said the Sadar Police Station received information from Bhupendra Kumar that the families had become trapped in the Jalmusha Khad near Katasan after the rivulet swelled suddenly. Police teams rushed to the spot, joined by personnel from the Home Guards, Fire Brigade, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Tehsildar of Paonta Sahib.
A challenging rescue operation lasting nearly three hours was launched. As the water level gradually receded, Home Guard and police personnel successfully rescued all 25 people without any loss of life. Those rescued included a six-month-old infant and several children.
SP Negi said the rescue operation was completed safely and the situation in the area was brought under control.
Elsewhere in the district, torrential rain inundated a stretch of National Highway-907A connecting Nahan with Kumharhatti and Shimla, disrupting traffic for more than two hours. The stretch from ITI to Carmel School was submerged under fast-flowing rainwater, with the road resembling a river.
The strong current swept away scooters and motorcycles, water entered several cars and nearby houses, damaging household belongings. Traffic was also affected by landslides at several locations on the highway.
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Local businessman and social worker Vinod Sharma blamed the flooding on an inadequate drainage system. He said a narrow drain between the Block Development Officer’s office and the interlock-tiled turn became clogged with garbage, while undersized pipes installed in place of proper culverts failed to carry the heavy runoff, forcing rainwater onto the highway.
Residents have demanded that the district administration and the National Highways Authority construct a permanent and scientifically designed drainage system from the Block Development Officer’s office to Sasdu’s stepwell to prevent recurring flooding during the monsoon.
According to the district administration, four roads in Sirmaur remained closed due to the rain, while authorities continued to monitor vulnerable areas amid forecasts of more rainfall.
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