Kinnaur Flooded After Cloudburst as Himachal’s Monsoon Losses Reach ₹1,000 Crore
Shimla – The ongoing monsoon in Himachal Pradesh has heightened concerns, with the Meteorological Department issuing a flood threat for five districts: Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla. A yellow alert has been issued for heavy rain in the plains and mid-mountain areas of the state, which is expected to persist until August 19.
On Tuesday, most parts of the state, including the capital Shimla, experienced cloudy weather, with rain reported in some areas overnight. The forecast indicates that the monsoon will remain active across the state, bringing continuous rainfall over the next few days. The administration has urged residents to exercise caution and stay away from rivers, streams, and landslide-prone areas, especially in the districts facing a flood threat.
The impact of the monsoon has already been severe. Two days ago, floods caused significant damage in the Una and Sirmaur districts. According to the State Disaster Management Authority, landslides have blocked two national highways and 213 roads across the state. Additionally, 218 electricity transformers and 143 drinking water projects are currently non-operational. The most affected areas include Shimla, where 89 roads are closed, followed by Sirmaur (42 roads), Mandi (37 roads), Kullu (26 roads), Kinnaur (4 roads), and Kangra (6 roads). Authorities are working to restore access and services as quickly as possible.
Adding to the severity of the situation, a cloudburst occurred around 4 PM on Tuesday in the Thikru and Lingne hills of Kinnaur district, causing widespread panic. Eyewitnesses reported that lightning struck the dark clouds, leading to a sudden deluge of water cascading down the hills towards the Sutlej River. The flood, which lasted for about an hour, carried along with it numerous trees, stones, and caused significant land erosion.
The force of the flood damaged a large portion of the Thikru connecting road, cutting off access to the area and halting the movement of local residents. The flood also damaged irrigation kuhals and water sources managed by the Jal Shakti Department, critical to the local villagers. Fortunately, there have been no reports of loss of life from this incident so far. Residents noted that had the flood occurred in a more populated area, the damage could have been far worse.
As the floodwaters began to recede, residents breathed a sigh of relief. Many had gathered to witness the aftermath of the cloudburst, which has become increasingly common in the Kinnaur district, despite the lack of rainfall in high-altitude areas. Similar incidents have been reported recently in several panchayat areas including Ropa, Hango, Charang, Khab, Sangla, Raksham, and Rupi. The Kinnaur administration has urged people to stay away from rivers, streams, and high-altitude areas unless necessary.
Traffic on National Highway-5 was also disrupted on Tuesday for nearly two hours due to a heavy landslide at Nigulsari. According to Junior Engineer Satish Joshi, the highway near Nigulsari has been prone to landslides for some time, and the latest landslide further disrupted travel in the region.
The financial toll of the monsoon season, which has lasted 47 days so far, has been substantial. The total damage is estimated to have reached ₹1,000 crores. The Public Works Department has reported losses of ₹436 crores, the Jal Shakti Department ₹403 crores, and the Horticulture Department ₹139 crores. Tragically, 194 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents during this period.
