Shimla: Life across Himachal Pradesh has been severely affected due to continuous heavy rainfall since Sunday night. The state is witnessing widespread landslides, blocked roads, disrupted electricity and water supply, and even loss of life.
By 10:00 am on Monday, 470 roads, including two national highways, remained blocked. The worst-affected region is Mandi district, where 310 roads and 390 electricity transformers are out of service. Across the state, 1199 transformers and 676 water supply schemes have been impacted.
Given the prevailing conditions, educational institutions have been ordered to remain shut in several areas. Schools in the entire Churah assembly constituency and in Thunag subdivision of Mandi are closed for the day. Similarly, all educational institutions in Kumarsain, Rohru, Jubbal, Chaupal, Jaloog Sunni, and Theog in Shimla district are also closed.
In Chamba, roads have been blocked at several points, and maize crops have been swept away by the strong water flow. Landslides have been reported along the Chamba-Tissa main road near Nakrod and Pangola, with considerable damage along the Nakrod-Thali route. In Chadi Panchayat, a landslide damaged a house, resulting in the death of a couple — Sunny and his wife Pallavi — who were visiting her maternal home. Villagers reached the spot and informed the administration soon after the incident.
In Mandi, the Mandi-Kullu National Highway remains completely blocked. Since 10:00 pm on Sunday night, stones have been falling continuously from the hills at 4 Mile, 9 Mile, near the dam, Moon Hotel, and the flyover, making road clearance operations risky. NHAI teams are on-site but are facing difficulty due to the ongoing rain. ASI Anil Katoch of the Pandoh police station said that debris will be cleared once the rain subsides and the situation is safe. Authorities have urged residents to use alternate routes and avoid unnecessary travel.
In Kullu, heavy overnight rain has caused rivers and streams to swell. National Highway 305 and other roads have been blocked at several places due to landslides. A flood-like situation has developed along the Beas River and its tributaries including Tirthan, Pin Parvati, and Jibhi Khad. The district administration has warned people not to go near water bodies and to stay alert throughout the day.
The MeT Department has issued a red alert for heavy rain over the next three hours for the districts of Shimla, Sirmour, Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi. The public has been advised to remain cautious, as the wet spell is likely to continue until July 27.
