Chandigarh (PTI): Five persons were killed and about 50 missing following several incidents of cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh where rains washed away many houses, bridges and roads, officials said on Thursday.

The state emergency operation centre said the cloudbursts took place in the Nirmand, Sainj and Malana areas in Kullu, Padhar in Mandi and Rampur in Shimla districts.

The local meteorological office has issued a “red alert” of heavy to extremely heavy rains along with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in three districts of Kangra, Kullu and Mandi on Thursday.

A cloudburst near Shrikhand Mahadev on Wednesday night triggered flash floods in Sarpara, Ganvi and Kurban nallahs, and as a result, the water in Samej Khud (nallah) in the Rampur subdivision of the Shimla district rose leaving two people dead and about 30 missing, said Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi.

Four persons have been rescued from the spot. The rescue operation is challenging as roads have been washed away, Shimla DC Anupam Kashyap said.

The Manali-Chandigarh highway has been damaged at several places due to landslides, an official said.

The Shimla DC and SP, who were on the spot, said that teams of the Army, NDRF, ITBP, SDRF, police and home guards have started rescue operations and the help of drones is being taken to locate the missing persons.

Another cloudburst in the Rajban village near Terang in the Padhar subdivision of the Mandi district on Wednesday night left three persons dead and seven missing. Two houses were washed away while another was damaged, officials said.

Bodies of Chandi Devi (75), Chaitri Devi (90) and Baijru Ram (80) have been recovered and an injured person (25-year-old Ram Singh) has been rescued in serious condition, the officials added.

A cloudburst also occurred in the Kullu district, leaving seven persons missing.

“Seven persons are missing and about eight to nine houses have been washed away in the Bhagipul area of Nirmand block in Kullu district and CISF and special Home Guard (quick response team) have been deputed for search operation to locate the missing persons,” said Kullu DC Torul S Raveesh.

She said three persons were missing and three to four houses have been damaged in Samej on the border of Shimla district. A breach was also reported in Malana Dam but the situation is under control.

Some people are stuck in the Malana I hydropower project. They are in underground buildings and safe and NDRF and Home Guard teams are making efforts to rescue them, she said adding that the Manali-Chandigarh highway has been breached at numerous places due to landslides and gushing waters of river Beas.

All educational institutions and schools in the district have been closed for two days, she said.