A powerful cloudburst unleashed flash floods in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, washing away a bridge, three shops, and a cremation ground in Kanon village on Monday night, August 18, 2025, officials reported. The relentless monsoon rains, coupled with landslides and cloudbursts, have wreaked havoc across the state, prompting authorities to close all educational institutions in Kullu and Banjar subdivisions on Tuesday to ensure student safety, according to Deputy Commissioner Torul S. Raveesh, Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Kullu.

In Shimla, a massive landslide near Ramchandra Chowk late Monday night forced the evacuation of approximately 40 people, including Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani, Congress MLAs Ramkumar Chaudhary and Ashish Butail, their staff, and government employees. The landslide damaged a building’s roof and uprooted trees near Ashiyana Regency in Chota Shimla, though no casualties were reported. Sub-divisional officers in Kullu and Banjar confirmed multiple incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods, which destroyed footbridges, blocked roads, and caused widespread property damage.

In Mandi district’s Padhar area, heavy rains damaged a footbridge, a shop, a vehicle, and agricultural land in Shilhabudhani and Tarswan gram panchayats. Local pradhans Prem Singh and Jai Singh reported that all nalas in the region were in spate, forcing residents to relocate to safer areas overnight. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that 357 roads, including National Highway 305 (Aut-Sainj road), were closed for vehicular traffic on Tuesday evening, with 179 in Mandi and 105 in Kullu. Additionally, 872 power supply transformers and 140 water supply schemes were disrupted, compounding the crisis.

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The Kinnaur district administration, citing continuous heavy rainfall, shooting stones, and dense fog, cancelled the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra-2025 with immediate effect on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma, invoking Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, stated that the yatra, which began on July 15 and was scheduled to continue until August 30, would remain suspended for the rest of the year unless further orders are issued. Pilgrims attempting to access the route will be escorted back to the base camp, with violators facing legal action. The Superintendent of Police, Kinnaur, has been directed to deploy forces alongside home guards and the Deputy Conservator of Forests to ensure pilgrims’ safe return.

Heavy rainfall battered multiple locations, with Jubberhatti near Shimla recording 117 mm since Monday night, followed by Solan and Amb (56 mm each), Shimla (54 mm), Bhuntar (46.8 mm), Bilaspur (40.2 mm), Kasol (33 mm), Seobagh (32 mm), Kothi (25.4 mm), and Bhareri (23 mm). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘yellow’ warning for heavy rains at isolated places until August 25, except for August 20 and 21, signaling continued risks of landslides and flash floods.

Since the monsoon’s onset on June 20, Himachal Pradesh has faced 74 flash floods, 38 cloudbursts, and 72 major landslides, resulting in approximately 143 deaths and 37 missing persons. The state has incurred losses of Rs 2,211 crore due to rain-related incidents, with Mandi, Kullu, and Kinnaur among the worst-hit districts. Restoration efforts are underway, but persistent rainfall and fresh landslides are hampering progress, leaving communities isolated and infrastructure crippled. Authorities have urged residents to avoid vulnerable areas and report emergencies promptly as the state braces for more challenging weather in the coming days.

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