Severe Cloudburst Disrupts Connectivity in Chamba District

Impact of Cloudburst in Churah

Subhash Mahajan

Chamba: A significant cloudburst has hit the Churah constituency in Chamba district, leading to extensive damage to infrastructure along the Nakarod-Chanju road near the Bagheigarh stream. The iron bridge spanning the stream was completely swept away, and a substantial section of the road has been destroyed, halting traffic in both directions.

This route is vital for local residents, and the disruption has left four gram panchayats—Charra, Chanju, Dehra, and Bagheigarh—without vehicle access. The loss of this connectivity raises urgent concerns regarding the mobility of residents, especially for medical emergencies, the delivery of essential supplies, and communication with neighboring towns.

Local officials have acknowledged the damage and are mobilizing emergency response teams. However, ongoing rainfall and difficult terrain are complicating immediate repair efforts. Eyewitnesses noted that the sudden influx of water from the cloudburst provided little warning, resulting in the bridge being washed away within minutes.

Residents from the affected panchayats are calling on the district administration to accelerate relief and reconstruction efforts. Given the region's susceptibility to extreme weather, there are increasing demands for long-term infrastructure improvements, including stronger bridges and early warning systems.

As monsoon conditions intensify across Himachal Pradesh, the incident in Churah underscores the heightened vulnerability of remote Himalayan areas to climate-related disasters. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have advised residents to exercise caution and avoid travel on at-risk routes.