Landslides block roads, schools shut, flights cancelled, rail and power services hit across state
Shimla — Torrential rains continued to wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh, triggering landslides, damaging infrastructure, and posing serious threats to lives and property. A five-storey building collapsed in Shimla, a cloudburst hit Rampur, and the weather office has issued a red alert in four districts—Kangra, Solan, Sirmaur and Mandi.
A five-storey house in Shimla’s Bhattakufar area collapsed on Monday morning. The structure, located under the Chamiyana Panchayat, had been declared unsafe due to deep digging for the four-lane road project in the area. According to local councillor Narendra Thakur, cracks had appeared in the building, prompting authorities to evacuate the family late on Sunday night.
The house owners were rescued just hours before the structure crumbled with a loud crash. Another nearby house has also developed cracks, raising fears among residents. Locals blamed faulty excavation work for the increasing vulnerability of buildings in the area.
Teams from the district administration, police, and four-lane project authorities rushed to the spot and began inspection and relief work.
Cloudburst Damages Homes and Livestock in Rampur
In the Rampur subdivision, a sudden cloudburst around 2 AM in Sarpara Panchayat caused significant damage at Sikaseri Gatula. Huts, a room, and a kitchen belonging to Rajendra Kumar were swept away in the debris. A cow each belonging to Vinod Kumar and Gopal Singh was also lost to the strong current in local nullahs.
Rampur tehsildar confirmed that a revenue team has been deployed to assess the full extent of damage. A report will be submitted to higher officials for compensation and relief.
Landslides and Infrastructure Collapse Across the State
The relentless rainfall from Saturday night to Sunday led to the blocking of three national highways and over 129 roads. Air connectivity was severely hit as all flights from Kangra, Shimla and Kullu airports were cancelled.
The famous Kalka-Shimla heritage rail track was also blocked due to debris and falling stones. Four trains had to be cancelled while six managed partial movement. In Sirmaur, the Paonta-Shillai highway remained shut for five hours, while Nahan-Kumarhatti and Kalka-Shimla routes were affected by rockfall at Chakkimor.
Five vehicles were buried under landslide debris in different areas of Shimla. In Sanjauli, a mother and daughter remained trapped in their home for hours after debris entered their house. In Sirmaur’s Moginand area, raw materials of two industries were damaged due to mud and debris flow.
Power Disruptions and Washed-Out Roads
Rain damage extended to the power sector as well—over 612 transformers went offline across the state, and six drinking water schemes were rendered non-functional. In Chamba, a key highway near Naini Khad was blocked for two hours.
In the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial region, the temporary culvert under the under-construction flyover near Kiratpur on the Pinjore-Nalagarh National Highway was washed away, halting all movement. A similar culvert on the Barotiwala-Bagguwala road also collapsed under strong water flow.
Government Orders School Closures
With heavy rainfall predicted to continue, the Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a red alert for Kangra, Solan, Sirmaur and Mandi districts. In response, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed all Deputy Commissioners to keep schools and Anganwadi centres closed on Monday in the affected districts.
Educational institutions also remained closed in Manali and Banjar subdivisions as well as across Sirmaur and Kangra. A yellow alert remains in place across the state till July 5.
Authorities on High Alert
District administrations have been put on alert with revenue, police, PWD, and NDRF teams deployed across vulnerable zones. People living in landslide-prone areas have been advised to move to safer locations and avoid unnecessary travel.
As rain continues, Himachal Pradesh remains on high alert with the administration racing to minimize damage and protect lives in the face of nature’s fury.
