Five members of a Nepali family were washed away in a cloudburst at Gawaldi village here in the early hours of Friday, even as a 12-year-old deaf and mute boy from the household miraculously escaped the calamity.
The ‘kutcha’ house of the family was washed away in the cloudburst that occurred at a hilltop in Bandrali village, Naresh Chauhan, president of the Naren Panchayat, said.
“The bodies of all five victims have been recovered with the help of the local people and one 12-year-old physically challenged boy survived,” Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Rohan Chand Thakur said.
The deceased include Lachhi Ram, his wife and three of their children.
Mr. Chauhan said despite heavy rain and darkness, the locals helped recover the bodies from the debris.
The cloudburst damaged roads leading to Gawaldi village under the Naren Panchayat in Rampur area, about 150 km from Shimla. Apple orchards of some farmers were also washed away or damaged.
SDM Nishant Thakur and the DSP have rushed to the spot.
The bodies of the victims have been sent for post-mortem.
