Himachal Pradesh: Relief For Tourists As Landslide-Hit Mandi-Kullu Highway Reopens After 20 Hours. Top Points

On Sunday, a cloudburst in Solan and Hamirpur districts, along with heavy rains in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu, led to flash floods that claimed the lives of two individuals.

A digger clears the blocked Chandigarh-Manali highway following a landslide triggered by continuous rain in Himachal Pradesh in the Mandi district on Monday. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Mandi-Kullu highway which was blocked due to a landslide near 7 Mile in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi has been opened after almost 20 hours. The landslide left hundreds of commuters stranded. Mandi district was affected as the Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked due to flash floods and landslides on Sunday. 

On Sunday, a cloudburst in Solan and Hamirpur districts, along with heavy rains in Shimla, Mandi, and Kullu, led to flash floods that claimed the lives of two individuals. The calamity caused damage to crops, homes, vehicles, and livestock. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, one person drowned in both Hamirpur and Shimla districts. The torrential rain damaged 11 houses, several vehicles, and four cowsheds.

Moderate to heavy rainfall was experienced in various parts of Kangra, Mandi, and Sirmaur districts. Dharamshala in Kangra received the highest rainfall with 107 mm, followed by Kataula and Bhattiyat with 75 mm each, Gohar with 67 mm, Mandi with 56 mm, Pandoh with 50 mm, Poanta Sahib with 43 mm, Nagrota Suriyan with 39 mm, Kothi with 37 mm, Jogindernagar with 36 mm, and Palampur with 32.2 mm.

Here are the latest developments on the situation:

• The Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch, spanning 70 kilometres, was significantly affected by the flood and landslides. Heavy rainfall caused flash floods in Khotinallah near Aut, located approximately 40 kilometres from Mandi town, resulting in the stranding of commuters since Sunday evening.
  
  
• Many tourists couldn't manage to find accommodation in guesthouses or hotels and were forced to spend the night in their cars.
• The alternative Mandi-Kullu route via Katola, previously blocked by a landslide, has now been reopened after nearly 20 hours. Small vehicles are being diverted through this route, Mandi administration officials said.

• A landslide near the 6 Mile area led to the closure of the Mandi-Pandoh stretch. The authorities initiated restoration work, employing explosives to clear the heavy boulders obstructing the roads on this section.
  
  
• The blocked road caused immense hardships for commuters, especially tourists, reported news agency PTI. "We have been stuck here since yesterday evening. There are limited hotels and accommodations available nearby," expressed Mohit, a tourist from Chandigarh, describing the nightmarish experience.
  
  
• The blocked stretch caused a traffic jam of over two kilometres on both sides, according to Prashant, a stranded commuter travelling from Chandigarh to Mandi town.
  
  
• Minister of Public Works Department Vikramaditya Singh said that heavy rain resulted in the closure of 301 roads. He assured that 180 of these roads would be reopened by Monday evening, 15 by Tuesday, and the remaining roads by June 30, subject to weather conditions.
  
  
• To clear the roads, the department has deployed around 390 diggers, bulldozers, and tippers. 
  
  
• Around 30 road sections in the state are prone to frequent landslides. Since the onset of the monsoon season on June 24, the Public Works Department has incurred losses of approximately Rs 27 crore.
  
  
• The local weather office issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning at isolated places on Monday and Tuesday. Additionally, a yellow alert for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning was issued for June 28 and 29.