Rampur in Himachal Pradesh witnessed a terrifying episode after a sudden cloudburst triggered flash floods and heavy rainfall across the region. Local resident Salim Ahmed described the chaos: “It rained very heavily with a storm. Water started flowing from ditches and drains, and vehicles were swept away. People were scared, and the police urged us to evacuate.”

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Massive property damage

The cloudburst occurred near Jamatkhana, Nirmand, and Ani—areas on the border of Kullu and Shimla districts. Approximately 15 vehicles were swept away, with five reaching the banks of the Satluj River and several others buried under mud and debris. Narayan, a shop owner, recounted, “The incident happened right in front of me. My car got trapped in the debris.”

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Crop loss and infrastructure collapse

In addition to property damage, crops in Rampur were severely affected by hailstorms that accompanied the cloudburst. Local MLA Lokender Kumar confirmed that over 25 vehicles were damaged and residents are struggling in the aftermath. “People are facing a lot of difficulties here,” he said, criticising the delay in relief efforts.

Government response

Despite the severity of the disaster, locals claim that even 15 hours after the cloudburst, the government had not yet begun restoring connectivity or retrieving trapped vehicles. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre in Shimla issued fresh alerts for nine districts, including Kullu, Shimla, and Mandi, warning of more rain, hailstorms, and thunderstorms. Residents are calling on authorities for prompt action to restore normalcy and prevent further tragedies.