Monsoon Mayhem In Himachal: Landslides, Dam Releases, And Over 130 Dead

Heavy rains in Himachal caused widespread destruction, blocking roads, swelling rivers, and prompting dam water releases. Schools closed, pilgrimages halted, and hundreds of villages were cut off.

Himachal floods: Debris and silt near damaged houses in a flood-affected area in Mandi district (file photo).

Source : PTI

Relentless rains battered Himachal Pradesh from late Sunday through Monday afternoon, triggering widespread destruction across the state. Landslides blocked hundreds of roads, rivers swelled dangerously, and water released from multiple dams intensified the crisis.

Kinner Kailash Yatra Halted, Schools Shut In Four Districts

Heavy rainfall was reported across Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Sirmaur, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, and Hamirpur. With Kol Dam, Larji Dam, and Nathpa Dam releasing water, river levels have risen sharply.

Schools and anganwadis remained closed on Monday in several subdivisions of Mandi, Shimla, Kullu, and Sirmaur. In Kinnaur, the Kinner Kailash pilgrimage was paused for a day due to safety concerns.

398 Roads Blocked, 3 National Highways

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 398 roads, including three national highways, are shut. Power and water supply have taken a major hit, with 682 transformers and 151 water supply schemes knocked out.

Mandi is the worst-affected, with 242 roads and two national highways closed. The district also has the highest number of defunct transformers, 294, followed by 186 in Kullu and 117 in Hamirpur.

Close Calls And Damaged Roads In Shimla

In Shimla's Jubbal area, a falling tree crushed a car, but both occupants escaped unhurt. Near Chaura Maidan, a landslide buried Puneet Thakur's car with three passengers inside. Miraculously, all survived.

Two large trees fell near Sanjauli College, blocking roads and damaging two vehicles. On the Shimla-Chopal route, apple-laden trucks and other vehicles remain stuck due to multiple tree falls.

Over 100 Villages Cut Off in Sirmaur

A major landslide on NH-707 near Sataun and Uttari village has snapped access to over 100 villages in the Shillai region. Farmers, especially tomato growers, are bearing the brunt, with crops rotting in fields. Daily commuters, students, and patients are also stranded.

Two Killed In Chamba After Rockfall Hits Home

In Chamba's Sutaah village (Chhadi Panchayat), a boulder crashed onto a house during heavy rain Sunday night, killing a husband and wife. The woman had arrived at her parents' home five days ago and was preparing to return with her husband when tragedy struck.

Elsewhere in Chamba, two cars parked along the Tissa main road (Jasaurgarh zero point) were sent plunging into a gorge after rocks fell from a hillside. No one was inside at the time.

132 Dead So Far In Himachal's Monsoon Season

Since the beginning of the monsoon season, Himachal has recorded 132 deaths, 223 injuries, and 34 missing persons. Mandi and Kangra reported the highest fatalities (21 each), followed by Kullu (15), Chamba (14), Shimla (11), Solan and Hamirpur (10 each), and Una (9).

Mandi Sees Worst Damage: 936 Homes Hit, 365 Flattened

So far, 393 homes, 276 shops, and 1,007 cow shelters have been completely destroyed. Another 769 houses have been partially damaged. The total estimated loss is around ₹1,246 crore.

Mandi district alone saw 936 houses damaged — 365 of them completely flattened. The district also lost 253 shops and 805 cow shelters.

Flash Floods, Landslides, Cloudbursts — The Monsoon Tally

Across the state, authorities have recorded 24 landslides, 36 flash floods, and 23 cloudburst incidents this monsoon. Mandi alone has reported 15 cloudbursts, 11 flash floods, and 4 landslides.

Rainfall, Alerts And What's Next

In the last 24 hours, Kangra's Gaggal received the highest rainfall at 150 mm, followed by Nagrota Surian (130 mm), Sandhol in Mandi and Chuari in Chamba (120 mm each), and Jogindernagar and Nahan (100 mm each).

The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in Chamba and Kangra on July 22. Yellow alerts for heavy rain are in place for Una, Mandi, and Sirmaur.

Between July 23 and 27, several regions may continue to see heavy downpours under sustained yellow alerts.

(Story by Parakram Chand, ABP Live.)