The Indian Army rescued four civilians, including one injured, after flash floods struck parts of Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, an official statement said on Thursday.
The floods, triggered by a cloudburst on Wednesday evening, hit the higher reaches of the Rishi Dogri valley and submerged a bridge across the Sutlej river. The affected site was an active road construction zone under the CPWD towards Gangthang Bralam.
Acting on an urgent request from the Kinnaur superintendent of police, the Army swiftly mobilised a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column. Braving darkness, strong currents, and unstable terrain, the team reached the site and found four civilians stranded on the far bank of the river.
The HADR team illuminated the area for night rescue operations and moved the civilians to higher ground. The injured person was evacuated and admitted to the Regional Hospital in Reckong Peo.
To sustain the stranded individuals overnight, the Army deployed the Logistics Drone High Altitude (LDHA) system to deliver essential supplies, including food and coconut water, across the floodwaters.
The rescued civilians were taken to the Army camp in Pooh, with plans to bring them back to the home bank once water levels recede.
