Heavy downpour: Five of family die in cloudburst near Shimla, deaf and mute boy survives

Five members of a Nepali family were washed away in a cloudburst at Gawaldi village here in the wee hours of Friday, even as a 12-year-old deaf and mute boy from the household miraculously escaped the calamity.

The ‘kachha’ house of the family was washed away in the cloudburst that occurred at a hilltop in Bandrali village, Naresh Chauhan, president of Naren Panchayat said.

“The bodies of all five deceased have been recovered with the help of the local people and one 12-year-old physically challenged boy survived,” Shimla deputy Commissioner, Rohan Chand Thakur said.

The deceased include Lachhi Ram, his wife and three of his children.

Chauhan said despite heavy rains and darkness, locals helped recover the bodies from the debris.

The cloudburst damaged roads leading to Gawaldi village under Naren Panchayat in Rampur area, about 150 km away from Shimla. Apple orchards of some farmers were also washed away or damaged.

The SDM Nishant Thakur and the DSP rushed to the spot. The bodies of the victims have been sent for post-mortem.