Himachal cloudburst victims seek immediate relief and rehabilitation

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Shahpur, July 23

Families affected by the devastating cloudburst and flash floods in the Boh Valley of Himachal Pradesh’s Shahpur Assembly constituency have appealed for immediate rehabilitation after losing their homes, livestock and belongings. The disaster, triggered by heavy rain, left several families displaced and forced them to take shelter in relief camps.

Victims described scenes of widespread destruction as floodwaters, rocks and debris swept through villages, flattening homes and cattle sheds within minutes.

Sushma, one of the affected residents, said there was no trace of many houses when she reached the site, with only debris and boulders scattered across the area. Several families, she said, have been left without shelter.

Another survivor, Rano Devi, recalled that a loud rumble was followed by a sudden surge of water and debris from the hillside, which washed away her house, cattle, oxen and household belongings within minutes. She urged the government to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation.

An elderly resident, Puran, said the debris engulfed the village, burying livestock and causing extensive damage. While officials reached the area soon after the incident, he stressed that affected families now urgently need rehabilitation assistance.

Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma visited the affected villages and provided financial assistance of ₹25,000 each to impacted families. He also announced an additional ₹25,000 for every affected household in the future. BJP leader Kamal Sharma from Shahpur distributed cheques of ₹5,000 each to the victims.

Sharma said the immediate priorities include clothing, utensils and temporary shelter for displaced families. He urged the state government to expedite land allotment, housing assistance, debris clearance using heavy machinery and ensure permanent deployment of SDRF teams in vulnerable areas.

He also alleged that the state government was not responding to the disaster with the required urgency and said restoring affected families to normal life should be the administration’s top priority.