Himachal: Devastating Rains Claim Five Lives, Trigger Flash Floods

In the aftermath of heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, 14 landslides and 13 flash floods have been reported, resulting in the closure of over 700 roads.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur assured residents on Sunday (July 9) that there is no need to panic as continuous rainfall continues in the Mandi and Kullu districts. Some areas have experienced cloud bursts, but Thakur stressed that the situation is being effectively managed by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team, district administration, and other relevant stakeholders working together.

Thakur said: "It has been raining constantly for the past 24 hours. Cloud burst has been reported in some areas. I want to inform everyone that there is no panic situation. The NDRF team, district administration, and others are working in coordination," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

State PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh also addressed the state's situation in the aftermath of inclement weather, according to ANI. He stated that 776 roads in HP have been closed, and that landslides and tree-uprooting incidents have been reported in the state. 

The state emergency operations centre has reported fourteen major landslides and thirteen flash floods in the last 36 hours. There have been numerous reports of destruction, including swept-away shops in Manali, vehicles washed away by flash floods in Kullu, Kinnaur, and Chamba, and significant loss of agricultural land. In addition, several roads in Shimla districts have been closed.

Due to a spate in the Beas River, Mandi's Panchvaktra temple has been submerged in water.

Heavy Rains & Landslides Ravage Himachal Pradesh, Leaving Five Dead

Five individuals lost their lives as torrential rains battered Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, resulting in devastating landslides and flash floods that caused extensive damage to homes and disrupted normal life, news agency PTI reported citing officials. The local authorities swiftly responded to the emergency, ordering the closure of schools and colleges for the next two days to ensure public safety, the report said. 

All major rivers in the region, including the Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Swan, and Chenab, are overflowing, according to the report. The state meteorological office has issued a new red alert for extremely heavy rains, with precipitation exceeding 204 mm expected in ten of the twelve districts. The alert does not apply to the tribal districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul, and Spiti, it said. 

According to the report, the state government has taken precautionary measures by temporarily closing all state-affiliated government and private schools and colleges for two days, from July 10 to July 11. Schools affiliated with the ICSE, CBSE, and other boards are permitted to make their own closure decisions, it added.