Himachal Pradesh: IMD issues red alert for heavy rain in three districts as monsoon toll rises to 45
Since the monsoon began on June 20, at least 45 persons have died in rain-related incidents, ANI quoted data from the State Emergency Operations Centre as saying.
Meanwhile, 31 persons are still missing and rescue operations are underway, PTI reported. Around 240 roads remain blocked in the state, including 176 in Mandi district, the news agency reported.
In addition to the red alert, the weather agency also warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur over the next 24 hours, PTI reported.
An orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain is also in place for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla and Kullu districts.
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh | Three culverts washed away along with a portion of land due to flooding in the drain near Kortang in Chauharghati under Padhar subdivision of Mandi district, says SDM Padhar Surjeet Singh
Details awaited.
(Video source: SDM Padhar) pic.twitter.com/5V4A9g6AiO
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2025
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the government is prepared for any rain-related event, PTI reported.
He said food supplies had been delivered by mules to remote villages in Thunag of Mandi district as part of relief operations.
The chief minister added that the situation in the Seraj constituency of the district is improving and urged residents to rent out extra rooms to families displaced by cloudbursts. The state will provide Rs 5,000 per month to each affected family for rent.
Relief Delivered at Village Roaad
On 5th July 2025, SDRF Team distributed 3 essential need kits provided by the Distt. Administration, delivered basic medicines to patients, and gathered further requirements from the villagers. #HPSDRF @CMOFFICEHP @SatwantAtwal @arjit_sen pic.twitter.com/oLiQ0sgt6U
— HP-SDRF (@HP_SDRF) July 5, 2025
In a social media post on Sunday, Sukhu also said that around 63 tourists and crew members stranded in a hotel in Mandi district had been evacuated through joint efforts by the National Disaster Response Force and local authorities.
During this monsoon season, 288 people have been reported injured and public and private infrastructure has suffered losses estimated at Rs 541.09 crore in Himachal Pradesh, ANI reported.
Sukhu has claimed that the actual figure could be closer to Rs 700 crore.
Heavy rain alert in Punjab, Haryana
The weather department on Sunday issued an orange alert for several districts in Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning over the next 24 hours.
In Punjab, the orange alert covers Pathankot, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Nawanshahr, Fatehgarh Sahib, SAS Nagar and Jalandhar, while a yellow alert has been issued for the rest of the state.
In Haryana, orange alerts have been issued for Ambala, Panchkula and surrounding areas, with yellow alerts across other districts.
The IMD on Saturday said it forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall between July 6 and July 9 across northern and eastern Punjab and parts of Haryana and Chandigarh.
Authorities have warned of flash floods, urban flooding, and possible landslides in hilly areas, urging residents and farmers to take precautions, The Indian Express reported.
The weather agency has also issued a yellow alert
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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Cloudbursts, flash floods in Himachal: Rescue operations on to find missing, IAF airlifts relief material
Search and rescue operations are underway with drones and sniffer dogs being used to trace 28 people who went missing after cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in the Thunag, Gohar and Karsog subdivisions of Mandi district last week, officials said on Monday. About 250 personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces, Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Home Guards, along with the administration and locals, are undertaking the search and rescue work. Besides, 20 teams are gathering information and distributing ration and medical kits in inaccessible areas, officials said. So far, 1,538 ration kits have been distributed to the affected people and immediate relief of Rs 12.44 lakh has been provided. An additional Rs 5 lakh each is being sent to the Thunag and Janjheli areas, they added. The Indian Air Force airlifted nearly 130 boxes of relief material to the remote and badly affected Janjehli region of Mandi on Monday. These consignments included 249 tarpaulins, 170 blankets, packets of powdered milk, biscuits, ready-to-eat food, spices, and other necessities. The air drops, coordinated by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), were critical in reaching villages cut off due to landslides and washed-away roads. Meanwhile, in Karsog sub-division, where the calamity has caused severe damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, SDM Gaurav Mahajan announced the launch of a special Sub-Division Disaster Relief Fund. Mahajan urged NGOs, philanthropists, and citizens to support those in distress. Contributions can be made to the account name: Sub-Division Disaster Relief Fund Karsog, with account number being — 50100605031091, and IFSC — HDFC0008106. According to information, 14 people were dead and 28 people are still missing from the various cloudbursts in Mandi. About 225 houses, seven shops, 243 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges and several roads were damaged in the disaster. A total of 215 cattle have perished, while 494 people have been rescued, as per the latest report. As many as 170 roads including one National Highway, 155 division electricity lines along with 158 water supply schemes were disrupted in Mandi. Till Sunday evening, 243 roads were closed in the state. Deputy Commissioner (DC) (Mandi) and DDMA Chairperson, Apoorv Devgan, visited the affected villages of Kuthah and Pandav Shila in Dharjaul Gram Panchayat on Monday. He assessed the situation, reviewed ongoing relief efforts, and assured residents that the administration is committed to reaching every affected family. He also convened a multi-departmental meeting in Janjehli to fine-tune the rehabilitation measures already underway. Alongside relief distribution, restoration of critical services has become the administration's top priority. The Jal Shakti Department has deployed nearly 2,000 personnel across Mandi to restore disrupted drinking water schemes. As of 7 July, 588 out of 790 affected schemes have been successfully revived. In the worst-hit Seraj Assembly segment, 132 out of 241 damaged water schemes have been temporarily restored. According to the district administration, 81 Gram Panchayats were impacted by water supply disruptions. Full supply has been restored in 15 panchayats, and partial restoration has been achieved in another 48. Work is ongoing in the remaining 18 panchayats, with hopes of resumption in the coming days. The DC lauded the cooperation of local villagers, many of whom voluntarily assisted the Jal Shakti teams by clearing debris and helping reconnect pipelines. Regular ground inspections are being conducted by departmental officers to monitor progress and ensure that clean drinking water is made available to every village as soon as possible. Efforts are also underway to restore electricity and road connectivity, which remain disrupted in many areas. 'The administration is working around the clock to normalise public life. We request the public to remain calm and cooperate. Relief will reach every affected person, and all essential services will be restored at the earliest,' Devgan said. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the disaster-affected Seraj Valley in Mandi to review the ongoing relief and restoration works following the recent devastating floods. He assured all possible assistance to the affected families and reaffirmed the government's commitment to restoring normalcy at the earliest. He said the natural calamity had caused widespread disruption and extensive damage to vital infrastructure, especially drinking water supply schemes. Nearly 241 water supply projects had been damaged in the region, including the largest scheme worth Rs 121 crore in the Seraj and Balichowki areas under the Jal Shakti department. The department has estimated losses exceeding Rs 100 crore in Seraj constituency alone. The Deputy Chief Minister said that senior officials had reached the remote and challenging areas to expedite the restoration work. So far, around 140 water schemes had been partially restored and work on the remaining was progressing on a war footing, Agnihotri added.
India Gazette
7 hours ago
- India Gazette
Himachal: CM Sukhu stresses urgent need to study rising incidents of cloudburst
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 7 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that disasters pose the biggest challenges for the future and combating the adverse effects of climate change is a 'pressing concern' for humanity. While presiding over the 9th meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, the Chief Minister expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of cloud bursts in the State and said that the matter had also been raised with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. The Chief Minister stated that over the past few days, Mandi district has recorded 123 per cent excess rainfall, causing widespread devastation in the district. In contrast, Shimla district has received 105 per cent excess rainfall. He said that recently, 19 cloud bursts have occurred, causing significant losses to human lives and properties. The present state government is making all-out efforts to rehabilitate and provide relief to the affected families. He said that unscientific muck dumping was leading to damage and stressed a scientific mechanism for its disposal to prevent further damage. Sukhu directed the SDMA to issue regular weather updates to the public and to counter misinformation circulating on social media. He said that SDMA was the sole authority to issue alerts and urged the people to rely only on the official information. He said that safe construction activities should be promoted, and people must construct their houses at least 100 meters away from the rivers and rivulets. The Chief Minister said that the State Government was strengthening the SDRF, and a new campus was being set up at Palampur in Kangra district. The State Institute of Disaster Management would be established at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla, while Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, would carry out research and development work. He also directed to conduct a study on high-risk glacial lakes and rope in the local community to raise awareness. He said that disasters have now become frequent phenomena, and in 2023, Himachal Pradesh suffered significant losses during the monsoon season, affecting thousands of people. He said that Rs 1260 crore were disbursed to the district administrations and various departments for carrying out relief and rehabilitation operations. An additional Rs 138 crore was also provided under the mitigation fund. The Chief Minister directed the government departments to set up their projects at least 100 meters away from the water streams to minimise the losses. He said that the Rs 891 crore disaster risk reduction project was being implemented under which strengthening of the HPSDMA and the DDMAs would be done along with fortifying disaster preparedness through an effective early warning system and supporting mitigation measures, which would be completed in March 2030. (ANI)
Scroll.in
8 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Himachal Pradesh: Toll in rain-related incidents rises to 78
At least 78 persons have died in rain-related incidents since the onset of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 20, NDTV quoted the State Disaster Management Authority as saying on Monday. Thirty-seven persons were missing and 115 have been injured, the news channel reported. As of Sunday, the state has reported 23 flash floods, 19 incidents of cloud bursts and 16 landslides. Of the total deaths, 14 were caused due to flash floods, eight by drowning, and another eight from electrocution and accidental falls. Other incidents leading to deaths included landslides, lightning strikes, snake bites and road accidents. Mandi district was the worst affected, reporting 14 deaths and five injuries, India Today reported. Unidentified officials told PTI that about 250 personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces, the Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Home Guards, along with the state administration and residents, were undertaking search and rescue operations. Immediate relief of Rs 12.44 lakh has been provided and 1,538 ration kits have also been distributed in the affected areas in the state, the officials said. An additional amount of Rs 5 lakh each was being sent to the Thunag and Janjheli subdivisions in Mandi district, they added. Estimated losses to public and private infrastructure due to the weather stood at about Rs 572 crore, PTI quoted the State Emergency Operation Centre as saying. However, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has claimed that the actual figure could be closer to Rs 700 crore. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain at isolated places in the state till Thursday, PTI reported. 'Texas closer to PM's heart': Congress On Monday, the Congress criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not having 'spoken a word of consolation' for the loss of lives in Himachal Pradesh but being 'deeply saddened' by the destruction caused by the floods in Texas in the United States. At least 78 persons, including 28 children, have died due to floods in Texas. On Saturday, Modi condoled the deaths on social media, saying that he was 'deeply saddened to learn about loss of lives, especially children in the devastating floods in Texas'. Congress leader Pawan Khera said on Monday that the prime minister had 'not spoken a word of consolation to those suffering in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, where over 70 people are feared dead in the calamitous floods'. 'Meanwhile, he is deeply saddened by the destruction caused by floods in Texas, USA…Texas may be far from Delhi but is closer to the PM's heart than anyone in Mandi is,' said Khera.
