Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh overnight, bringing life to a standstill across multiple districts. Landslides, flash floods, and road blockages have created havoc, with the Meteorological Department issuing a red alert for several regions.
By Monday morning, 628 roads, including three national highways, were blocked, while 1,533 electricity transformers and 168 water supply schemes were disrupted. The worst-hit districts include Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba, where road connectivity remains severely impacted.
Schools Closed, Travel Hit
All educational institutions, including schools and ITIs, remained closed on Monday in Kangra, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Una, Chamba, and Kullu and Manali sub-divisions. Similarly, institutions in Keylong and Udaipur sub-divisions of Lahaul-Spiti were also shut. Teachers struggled to reach schools due to blocked roads.
Despite the adverse conditions, the holy Mani Mahesh Yatra continued as devotees braved the rain.
Landslides and Property Damage
A multi-storey building in Panjri, Tutikandi, has come under threat from a landslide, raising fears of structural collapse. In Bilaspur, heavy downpour triggered landslides on major routes, including the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane, which was restored late Sunday but blocked again near Samletu on Monday morning.
A landslide on the old Chandigarh-Manali highway also caused trouble when stones fell on a private Volvo bus travelling from Delhi to Baijnath at Zakatkhana. Five passengers sustained minor injuries, and the bus suffered broken window panes. The injured were treated at Mandi Bharari Chowk, and the bus later resumed its journey.
In another incident, two parked vehicles were damaged due to a landslide on Baghchhal-Marotan road. Several houses and private properties have also been damaged in multiple districts.
Snowfall at High Passes
Amid the heavy rainfall, fresh snowfall was reported at Shinkula Pass (16,500 ft), leading to the closure of the Darcha-Shinkula-Padam road. Baralacha and Rohtang Pass also received snowfall, affecting high-altitude travel and isolating some regions.
Alert Extended Till August 31
The Meteorological Center in Shimla has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi districts for Monday, with an orange alert for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Kullu, and a yellow alert for Solan and Shimla.
On August 26, Chamba and Kangra will remain under red alert, while Mandi will face orange alert conditions. Rain warnings have been extended till August 31 across various parts of the state.
Monsoon Toll: 303 Dead, ₹2,34,862 Lakh Loss
This monsoon season, from June 20 to August 24, has been devastating for Himachal Pradesh. So far, 303 people have lost their lives, 360 have been injured, and 37 remain missing. Of these, 148 deaths occurred in road accidents.
Natural disasters such as cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods have damaged 3,556 houses and shops, destroyed 2,766 cowsheds, and claimed the lives of 1,833 domestic animals.
