A Night of Terror in Bilaspur’s Gutrahan: Cloudburst Turns Village Life Upside Down
What began as a quiet night in the serene village of Gutrahan, nestled in Himachal’s Naina Devi constituency, turned into a nightmare as a sudden cloudburst unleashed chaos early Saturday morning. Torrential rain, thunder, and a deluge of debris swept through the village, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair.
Fields that once promised harvests were washed away in minutes. Homes were flooded, walls crumbled, and vehicles were buried under mud and rubble. Families watched helplessly as their belongings—and in many cases, their life’s savings—were carried away by the raging waters. Some ran for their lives in the dead of night, clinging to loved ones and praying for safety.
Though no lives were lost, the emotional and financial toll is immense. “We didn’t sleep a wink. We just tried to save what we could,” said one villager, still shaken. The local panchayat confirmed that several homes are now unsafe, and the village’s main access road has been severely damaged.
The aftermath has left the community cut off, with roads blocked by landslides and fallen trees. Relief efforts are underway, with Public Works teams working to restore connectivity. Officials, including the SDM and Tehsildar, have visited the site to assess the damage.
Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar assured that crop loss assessments are ongoing and road restoration is a priority. But for the people of Gutrahan, the scars of that night will take much longer to heal.
