Himachal Floods: In another alarming incident triggered by heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh, around 25 workers are feared to have been swept away after the water level in the Manuni Khad river near Dharamshala rose sharply on Wednesday. The workers were part of the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Project underway in the area.

Officials said the water gushed into the workers’ temporary sheds in the colony after it changed course suddenly. Most workers had taken shelter there due to ongoing rains, which had halted the project’s operations. While about 100 workers were present at the site, nearly 25 are suspected to have been carried away by the surge. Two bodies have been recovered so far — one near Tillu and another in Naguni. The identities of the deceased have not been confirmed yet.

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According to officials, most of the missing workers are believed to be from Srinagar. Rescue teams from the SDRF, local administration, the revenue department and panchayat are actively conducting search operations.

SDM Dharamshala, Mohit Ratna, confirmed that the rescue operation was in full swing and that one body had already been sent to Dharamshala Hospital for post-mortem.

Amar Singh, the Pradhan of Saukani Da Gram Panchayat, said the sudden flooding may have been worsened by environmental damage linked to the hydroelectric project. He accused the project authorities of cutting down trees and dumping debris, which altered the natural course of the Tapali and Manuni drains. A formal complaint had been submitted to the district administration earlier, but no action was reportedly taken.

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As rescue operations continued, Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma shared his concerns on social media. He stated that around 15–20 workers could have been swept away in the incident and expressed his condolences to the affected families. “Perhaps I have never seen such a heart-wrenching incident before,” he wrote.

The full extent of the tragedy is yet to be known, as communication is currently lost with the SDRF team working in Naguni. Officials said a clearer picture will emerge once contact is restored.