KANGRA, Aug. 28 — Flash floods triggered by the swollen Ravi river have devastated Bada Bhangal, a remote tribal settlement in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, sweeping away all government buildings and destroying critical infrastructure.
The village, perched at 7,800 feet in the Dhauladhar ranges, is accessible only by foot through high-altitude passes. Both approaches — Thamsar Pass at 4,700 metres and Kalihani Pass at 4,800 metres — have now become impassable, leaving the community completely isolated.
“All trekking routes are blocked, and the village is entirely cut off,” said Sarpanch Mansa Ram Bhangalia. “More than 300 residents remain stranded, while at least 150 shepherds and hundreds of goats, sheep and cattle are marooned on high pastures.”
Among the structures washed away are the panchayat ghar, government primary and high school buildings, civil supplies store, an Ayurvedic dispensary and two bridges, including one across the Ravi river. Stocks of ration and medicines kept in these facilities have also been lost.
The sarpanch warned that severe riverbank erosion has eaten away land across a 5-km stretch, putting several homes at risk of collapse. “The main access route has suffered major damage, cutting us off completely. People are running short of food and medicines,” he said.
Known for its extreme isolation, Bada Bhangal remains snowbound for nearly six months each year. The village has no motorable road or healthcare centre, with access limited to a three-day trek in the best of conditions.
The Gram Panchayat has appealed for an immediate aerial survey under the Baijnath Sub-Divisional Magistrate and urgent relief measures. “Any delay could deepen the crisis,” the request noted, citing the shortage of essentials.
Bada Bhangal is inhabited mainly by the Gaddi community, nomadic pastoralists who depend on high-altitude pastures during the summer. For them, these months are vital for sustaining their herds, which form the backbone of their livelihood.
Once considered a bastion of Himalayan pastoralism, the village is now facing new threats from climate change, neglect of basic infrastructure, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
