The death toll rose to five in separate incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods, triggered by a heavy spell of rain in different parts of Himachal Pradesh during the past 24 hours, even as on Thursday (June 26, 2025), the rescue and search operations continued on a war footing.

Over the last 24 hours, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed three incidents of cloudbursts, nine flash floods, and three landslides, which have claimed five lives and left one injured, according to a government statement.

Apart from this, three individuals in Kullu district and around six people in Kangra district are missing. Intensive search and rescue operations are underway, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Home Guards, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at work. As many as 21 stranded persons have been evacuated from different locations.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the prevailing situation with senior government officials virtually from Shimla and directed all the Deputy Commissioners to stay alert and ensure round-the-clock availability for the public to deal with the unfolding situation efficiently, keeping in view the adverse weather conditions.

The Chief Minister also instructed them to identify the individuals or families, particularly migrant labourers, living close to the banks of the rivers, etc, and to relocate them to safer places.