Cloudbursts Cause Widespread Damage Across Northern India

A recent cloudburst in Cherwan Kangan, located in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, has caused significant damage. The heavy rainfall led to the blocking of the important Srinagar-Kargil road and the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumuri (SSG) road near Padawbal, where mud from a canal overflowed and covered the road.

Efforts to clear the roads are currently in progress. The cloudburst has also damaged paddy fields and trapped several vehicles in the debris.

Gulzar Ahmad, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Ganderbal, stated, “The cloudburst happened late Sunday night. Although there is a lot of debris, we are thankful that no lives were lost.” He added that clearing the roads is a top priority and that the district police, administration, and private teams are working together to resolve the situation. Residents whose homes were affected have been rescued and moved to safer locations.

Authorities have advised people to avoid traveling on the affected roads until they are cleared.

In other news, search and rescue operations are ongoing in Samej village near Rampur in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, following severe cloudbursts. Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh reported that around 50 people are feared dead, though the exact number is still being confirmed.

In Uttarakhand, cloudbursts and landslides along the Kedarnath Yatra route have resulted in 15 fatalities. Over 1,500 pilgrims and locals have been rescued by NDRF and SDRF teams. Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that a total of 9,099 people have been rescued from the Kedarnath Yatra route.