A small village located partly on either side of a mountain stream near Rampur in Himachal Pradesh is reeling in the aftermath of a devastating flashflood that swept through in the early hours of Wednesday. The flashfloods, triggered by a cloudburst higher up in the hills, left 36 people missing and destroyed around 25 homes along with other structures in Samej village.
Rescue efforts are currently underway to locate those still unaccounted for in the remote area that was cut off due to damaged roads. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, police and others are painstakingly searching an 85 km stretch. So far two bodies have been recovered but not identified.
Many villagers recall being abruptly awakened around midnight by an extremely loud noise and witnessing the waters in the usually tranquil stream rising alarmingly high within moments. Several houses situated right along the stream were simply washed away as the currents turned ferocious. Nearby structures like a primary health center and school building also succumbed to the rush of debris-filled water.
Villagers are still in shock struggling to come to terms with their immense losses. Some lost family members who were swept downriver, never to be seen again. Others narrowly escaped with their lives but were left homeless. One elderly man recounted pulling himself to safety by grabbing a log after being tossed about, but his wife unfortunately went missing.
The remote area has been cut-off after road access was disrupted due to damaged bridges and slips. Rescue teams faced difficult terrain having to walk 2 km to reach the affected village. As search operations continue with hopes of finding survivors, the village remains plunged in mourning with many still clinging to prayers for miracles.
