Relentless heavy rainfall has paralyzed Himachal Pradesh, closing 617 roads, including four national highways, and forcing the shutdown of schools and colleges in four districts as landslides and flash floods wreak havoc. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that Mandi district, recently battered by cloudbursts, accounts for 377 of the blocked roads, followed by 90 in Kullu, with significant disruptions in Shimla and Solan.
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway (NH 21), Old Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 05), Mandi-Dharampur (NH 3), and Aut-Sainj Road (NH 305) remain impassable due to landslides, while the Shimla-Kalka National Highway (NH 05) was reopened after a blockage at Chakki Mor near Koti in Solan. Commuters faced severe delays and traffic jams, with alternate routes like Kataula-Kamand also obstructed.
The meteorological centre recorded intense rainfall since Tuesday night, with Kasauli receiving 145 mm, Dharampur 122.8 mm, Gohar 120 mm, and Shimla 64.4 mm, among others. A ‘yellow’ warning for heavy rain persists for Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with risks of flash floods in Chamba, Kullu, and Mandi.
Educational institutions in Shimla’s Sunni, Kumarsein, Chopal, Dodra Kwar, Jubbal, Theog, and Rampur subdivisions, as well as Karsog and Sundernagar in Mandi, Nirmand in Kullu, and parts of Solan, were closed, with some Shimla schools shifting to online classes. The Kinnaur Kailash Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage to the 19,850-foot Kinnaur Kailash, considered Lord Shiva’s winter abode, was suspended after heavy rain destroyed bridges at Tanglippi and Kangarang and rendered trekking paths dangerously slippery. Pilgrims are sheltered safely at Milling Khata and Gufa, with arrangements for their care.
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Since the monsoon’s onset on June 20, Himachal has suffered Rs 1,852 crore in losses, with 108 deaths, 36 missing persons, and widespread damage to 1,738 houses, 1,491 power transformers, and 265 water supply schemes. The state has endured 55 flash floods, 28 cloudbursts, and 48 major landslides.
Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited warned of water supply disruptions for two to three days due to high turbidity. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, sought central aid to address damages estimated at Rs 1,000 crore this season, with cumulative losses of Rs 21,000 crore since 2023.
Authorities urge residents to avoid travel near rivers and landslide-prone areas, with disaster response teams and local officials working tirelessly to restore connectivity and provide relief. The crisis highlights Himachal’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters, exacerbated by poor road construction and environmental degradation.
Also Read: Monsoon Havoc: Himachal Pradesh Reels Under Rs 1,500 Crore Losses