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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
450 roads, including 4 national highways, blockedin rain-hit Himachal
Continuous heavy rainfall in parts of Himachal Pradesh has thrown life out of gear with around 450 roads, including the four national highways, blocked across the state on Tuesday. Due to the incessant rain, rivers and rivulets, including Beas river and Suketi Khad in Mandi, remained in spate at many places in the state. (HT Photo) The Mandi-Kullu stretch of the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway (NH-21), which was opened for one-way traffic at Tuesday evening, was again blocked near Dwada hours after opening due to shooting stones and landslides. Earlier the stretch was blocked at the 9-mile mark, Kainchi Mod and Jogni Mata Temple, on Tuesday morning. As per weather department, heavy rain was observed at a few places and heavy to very heavy rain was observed at isolated places in state during last 24 hours. Out of 450 blocked roads, 292 roads are in Mandi and 89 in Kullu district. The NH-003 (Mandi-Dharampur) via Kotli also remained blocked on Tuesday. In Kullu district, NH-305 was blocked at Jhed (Khanag) due to a landslide. Light motor vehicles are being allowed to pass through Kandugad. A flash flood blocked National Highway (NH-05) at Riba Nala in Kinnaur district. The state disaster management authority said that 257 water supply schemes and 360 power distribution transformers are non-functional. Meanwhile, a landslide occurred near Jakhu temple in Shimla leading to closure of the road. Due to the incessant rain, rivers and rivulets, including Beas river and Suketi Khad in Mandi, remained in spate at many places in the state. In Mandi district's Balh area, low-lying areas were waterlogged with reports of rainwater entering houses and shops at many places. Since the onset of the monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 20, as many as 194 people have lost their lives so far. This includes 108 deaths due to rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning, while 86 people have died in road accidents. More than 1,700 houses have been either partially or completely damaged. The cumulative losses in the state during the monsoon season have so far amounted to around ₹1,850 crore. Extensive damage to infrastructure in Mandi Mandi deputy commissioner (DC) Apoorv Devgan said that due to heavy rains and landslides in the last 24 hours in Mandi district, roads, drinking water and electricity supply and other infrastructure have been damaged extensively. 'Various teams of concerned departments are working on a war footing to restore essential services in the district. 'In the Mandi circle of the public works department (PWD) alone, a loss of about 23 crore rupees has been estimated in the last 24 hours. 158 machines have been deployed to restore the damaged roads and 73 out of 270 roads closed in the affected areas have been restored by Tuesday evening,' he said. Kinnaur Kailash Yatra temporarily suspended Owing to the continued rainfall, the administration has suspended the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra. Officials said that due to the incessant rainfall foot bridges built on Tangi Valley and Kangyarang drains have been washed away while the route has become extremely slippery and incidents of landslides have also been reported. Kalpa sub-divisional magistrate (Civil) Amit Kalthaik said that all the devotees currently travelling have been stopped at safe places and their complete safety is being ensured. Heavy rainfall to continue in Himachal till August 11 The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Shimla office has predicted that heavy rainfall spells are expected to continue at isolated places in Himachal till August 11. According to MeT officials, light to moderate rainfall is very likely at many places from August 6 to 11 with heavy rainfall at isolated places as well during this period. On August 6, a yellow alert of heavy rainfall was sounded in Una and Mandi districts of the state, followed by a yellow alert in Sirmaur district on August 7. Una, Chamba, Kangra and Sirmaur districts will remain under a yellow alert of heavy rainfall on August 8.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
No reprieve for Himachal, heavy rain causes more landslides, flash floods
Kullu: Landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rain caused havoc in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, blocking roads, disrupting water and power supply, and throwing life out of gear. In Kinnaur, the district administration suspended the annual Kinner Kailash pilgrimage due to inclement weather. In all, 446 roads were blocked in the state, including the Chandigarh-Manali highway, which was closed on Monday evening due to rockfall at several spots. It stayed closed in the morning due to landslides near Pandoh and Aut in Mandi district. In Thalout, a village near Pandoh in Mandi district, shops stayed closed due to the danger of landslides hitting their property. Thalout is located on the Chandigarh-Manali highway. Many areas and highway points near Mandi were submerged in the morning as the Suketi rivulet started overflowing. The rivulet and rainwater entered many houses and shops, as well as the highway and roads in Nagchala, Dadaur, Lunapani, Ratti, Gagal, and Behna. In Behna, many cars were submerged in the overflowing water. In Mandi town, where the Suketi rivulet merges into the Beas, water reached the steps of the ancient Panchvaktra temple. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ranked: The Most Stunning Underrated Coastal Getaways in Europe Learn More Heavy rainfall also triggered landslides in Tarna, Mandi. In Gohar sub-division of Mandi, which was struck by cloudbursts on July 1, a flash flood damaged at least three houses in Lot village. Water level in the rivulets of Thunag, which was hit worst by the recent disaster, also started rising Monday evening. The Jyuni rivulet in Pandoh was also flowing above the danger mark. Many residents vacated their houses built on its bank. Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan said due to heavy rain and landslides in the last 24 hours, extensive damage was caused to roads, drinking water and electricity supply, and other essential infrastructure. Devgan said the Mandi zone of public works department (PWD) alone reported an estimated loss of about Rs 23 crore, and the water department incurred a loss of Rs 31 crore in the last 24 hours. "All possible efforts are being made to restore road connectivity and water and electricity supply," said Devgan. Landslide threat in Banjar, Anni In Kullu, potential landslide threats are giving residents of many villages in the Banjar and Anni sub-divisions sleepless nights. A primary school in Baloo village of Anni sub-division was damaged in a landslide on Tuesday. The residents of Malana, which is presently cut off from the rest of the district, also worked on building a wooden bridge on Malana rivulet for the second day on Tuesday. The old bridge was washed away in a flash flood on July 1. Flash flood in Kinnaur too In Kinnaur, a flash flood in the Ribba rivulet blocked National Highway 5, and washed away agricultural land. NH 5 was also blocked at landslide-prone Nigulsari due to shooting stones. Flood gates opened, alert in Punjab, HP The flood gates of Pandoh dam and Koldam were opened on Tuesday, even as authorities had sounded an alert in advance for areas downstream. Kangra administration has already issued an alert in the downstream areas of Pong dam in the district and neighbouring Punjab after water level reached above 1,365 feet in the dam. Highway traffic diverted As roadblocks created a huge traffic jam on the Manali-Chandigarh highway, the administration diverted Kullu and Mandi-bound traffic through the alternate routes of Mandi-Kamand-Bajaura-Kullu and Pandoh-Gohar-Chailchowk-Sundernagar. However, only light vehicles were allowed to take these routes, and heavy vehicles stayed on the highway, which was not reopened until the filing of this report.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Heavy rain cripples Himachal's Mandi; over 300 roads, including 2 highways, blocked, schools closed
Torrential rains lashed Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district on Tuesday morning, triggering over a dozen fresh landslides and aggravating the already fragile situation in several disaster-affected areas, including Seraj. Normal life came to a grinding halt as at least 331 roads were reported blocked across the district, including two major National Highways — NH-21 (Mandi-Kullu) near 9 Mile close to the ropeway, and NH-003 (Mandi-Dharampur), obstructed at Kenchi Mod. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Shimla has already issued an orange alert predicting heavy rainfall in Mandi on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan told The Indian Express that restoration work had barely kept pace with the damage. 'Of the 331 roads blocked today, 148 had just been reopened yesterday by the Public Works Department (PWD) and other departments. The relentless rainfall has undone much of the progress,' he said. Meanwhile, the number of disrupted electricity lines jumped dramatically to 657 on Tuesday from 22 the previous day. Similarly, 86 water supply schemes also remained non-functional across the district, Devgan said. Seraj division was worst-hit, with 122 roads blocked, followed by 56 in Thalout, 55 in Karsog, 35 in Dharampur, and smaller numbers in other divisions, including Mandi II (12), Padhar (10), Gohar (10), Nerchowk (14), Sarkaghat (12), Sundernagar (1), and Jogindernagar (2), Devgan said. Owing to the incessant rainfall and worsening conditions, all government and private schools in Sundernagar subdivision were ordered shut for the day as a precautionary measure. Hydropower authorities have also issued critical warnings and opened the spillway gates of Koldam Hydropower Station at 8.45 am to discharge excess water. As the water level in the Koldam river is expected to rise by 4-5 metres, residents and tourists have been warned to stay away from the river banks. Due to the rising water levels in the Beas River, the Pandoh Dam has also started releasing water from its spillway gates. Authorities are using hooters and public address systems to alert the public and prevent any untoward incidents, said an officer. Disaster management teams remain on high alert as the situation continues to evolve. So far, the total loss caused by flash-floods and torrential rain in the state has touched Rs 1,753.63 crore, while 106 people have lost their lives in landslides, cloudbursts, and flash-floods in the last one-and-a-half months, according to the Revenue Department records.
India Today
30-07-2025
- Climate
- India Today
Cars bogged down, houses inundated as flash floods sweep Himachal's Mandi; 3 dead
Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi have claimed three lives, left one person injured, and another missing, as torrential rains swept through residential areas, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Videos circulating on social media show widespread destruction—vehicles buried under debris, homes inundated with floodwaters, and frantic rescue efforts underway. Mandi has received an intense 202.6 mm of rainfall since Monday evening, causing local drains—known as Suketi nullahs—to overflow and carry massive debris through parts of the city. The worst-affected areas include Jail Road, Saini Mohalla, and the vicinity of the zonal Commissioner Apoorv Devgan confirmed the casualties, identifying the deceased as Balbir Singh, Amarpreet Singh, and his mother Sapna. A woman and her son, both injured, are being treated at the zonal hospital. Another woman remains missing. Rescue operations led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and home guards are ongoing. About 15–20 people have been rescued so far, according to officials. Relief efforts are being supported by the Public Works Department, Jal Shakti, and power utility teams to clear debris and restore basic services. In response to the disaster, a relief camp has been established at Vipasha Sadan. Several families whose homes were damaged have taken shelter with relatives or at temporary per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the impact of the disaster is extensive:358 roads have been blocked across the state, including 259 in Mandi district alone.182 power transformers and 179 water supply schemes have been Chandigarh-Manali National Highway (NH-21) has suffered severe damage at multiple points between Mandi and colleges, and anganwadi centres in Mandi Sadar subdivision remained shut on Tuesday due to impassable Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured that the administration has been instructed to provide immediate assistance to the affected families. Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur also expressed concern, noting the scale of devastation in Mandi this India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued an 'orange' alert for Mandi, Kullu, and Kangra districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rain. A 'yellow' alert remains in place for several other districts, including Shimla, Sirmaur, and Chamba. Citizens have been advised to stay away from the Beas River and its tributaries, which are currently flowing above danger the onset of the monsoon on June 20, Himachal Pradesh has reported damages exceeding Rs 1,539 crore. According to SEOC data, 94 people have died, 36 are missing, and over 1,350 houses have been either fully or partially damaged in rain-related incidents.- EndsWith PTI inputsMust Watch
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
29 missing in Himachal Pradesh presumed dead, search being called off
Kullu: The 27 people missing in Himachal's Mandi district since the June-30-July 1 floods are presumed dead, so are two in Kullu, the administration said on Wednesday. Search and rescue operations in the disaster-hit areas of Mandi district will come to a complete halt within a week as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams will be withdrawn in a phased manner, said an official. Mandi was hit by a barrage of 10 cloudbursts around a fortnight ago, triggering devastating flash floods. So far, 15 bodies have been recovered, and there is no trace of the 27 people still missing. Assisted by dog squads and drones, search teams have been combing Thunag, Gohar, Karsog, and Dharampur subdivisions and even as far as the banks of Beas and Satluj rivers, but without much success. "They have searched every inch of the affected places. Certain areas were searched more than once in the hope that the victims would be found. The victims were either buried in the piles of muck that came along with the floods, or they were washed away by the rivulets that flow into the Beas and Satluj rivers," said Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan. The Mandi district administration has started the process of officially declaring the missing 27 people dead. "A notification inviting objections from residents will be issued soon. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Once the process is complete, we will issue the death certificates of all the missing people who are presumed dead, 15 days after the tragedy," said incident commander Surender Mohan, who is in charge of managing the disaster response in affected areas of Mandi. Of the 225 NDRF personnel, 125 have already been withdrawn. An Army unit was also brought back from the flood-hit Thunag and is presently stationed in Pandoh in Mandi district. A battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has also been sent back to its base camp in Babeli near Kullu. "State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are still stationed in the disaster-hit areas. I guess all the teams will be completely withdrawn in a week," Devgan told TOI. Nineteen people are missing in Thunag, seven in Gohar and one in Karsog. Two persons in Siund area of Sainj valley in Kullu district are also missing since a flash flood struck on June 25. They, too, are presumed dead. NDRF found the body of a third victim, 13-year-old Murti, after a three-day search but there was no sign of the other two. 109 Dead This Monsoon Himachal Pradesh has lost 109 people this monsoon and suffered a loss of over Rs 883 crore. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), 22 of these deaths were in flash floods. Thirteen fell to their death, 11 drowned and six were killed by snake bites. As many as 45 people have died in accidents during the ongoing monsoon season, says the report.
