5 feared killed in flash flood triggered by cloudburst in India

Four tourists and their guide were swept away in a flash flood triggered by cloud burst in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, officials said Wednesday.

The cloud burst hit their vehicle on Tuesday evening near Sunni, about 60 km north of Shimla city, the capital of Himachal Pradesh.

"Last evening a vehicle carrying eight tourists including their guide was hit by a cloudburst here, which swept the vehicle in Sutlej river," a local official posted at Shimla said. "Out of the eight, three have been rescued but five are still missing."

The authorities have pressed in rescue teams to trace the missing tourists soon after the incident but had to suspend the operation during night hours.

According to officials, the tourists hailing from neighbouring Punjab state were going for rafting along with their guide.

Heavy rains accompanied by cloudbursts and thunderstorms lashed the state, triggering flash floods and pushing up water level in the river.

On Wednesday morning the rescue teams started fresh operations to search the missing tourists.

"The rescue teams are searching them in the area but the bad weather has become major hurdle in the operation," an official said. "There are little chances of their survival."

Meanwhile, the Meteorological department has predicted more rains in the next 24 hours and issued alerts to residents.

"Warning of thunder storm, hail storm and heavy to very heavy rains at few places in mid hills of the state have been predicted," an official said.

India's state-run broadcaster, All India Radio (AIR), said about 10 km stretch of Sunni-Luhri road has been badly damaged at several places and rains have caused extensive damage to several houses, cow sheds and crops. Endit