Cloudburst Ravages Ramban, Crops Damaged in Himachal: Locals Slam IMD's Botched Forecast
Ramban/Shimla | April 20, 2025
A deadly cloudburst in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir early Sunday triggered flash floods and landslides, leaving at least three people dead and 100 missing.
The disaster hit Seri Bagna village around 1:10 a.m., flattening homes and sweeping away vehicles.
Two brothers — Aqib Ahmad and Mohammad Saqib — were among the deceased. Over 40 houses and shops in Dharamkund village were destroyed.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a vital lifeline for the region, was ripped apart by landslides, leaving hundreds stranded. Rescue teams, supported by security forces and locals, evacuated nearly 500 people to safer zones.
While Ramban was reeling under disaster, wild weather lashed Himachal Pradesh too. Hailstorms and squalls swept through Shimla, Kinnaur, and Chamba districts, flattening fruit orchards.
Stone fruits like Santa Rosa plums were knocked off trees in Salooni (Chamba), causing massive losses to growers. Gusty winds damaged houses and vehicles, while apple growers in Jubbal and Rampur also reported heavy damage.
Angry farmers are now questioning the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for inaccurate forecasts. "Where was the warning? This was a total failure of prediction," said a fruit grower in Kinnaur.
The twin disasters have sparked debate over disaster preparedness and the reliability of weather alerts in hill states, where timely information can save lives and livelihoods.
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