Heavy Rainfall Disrupts Life in Himachal; Hundreds of Roads Closed Including Four National Highways

Shimla, August 5 (H.S.) – Under an orange alert issued by the Meteorological Department, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed continuous torrential rain from Monday night to Tuesday morning. The worst-affected area remains Mandi district, which is already grappling with disaster. Heavy downpours have severely disrupted daily life across the district. Rivers and streams in several areas are in spate, prompting the administration to urge residents to remain alert and follow official advisories.

In Sundernagar sub-division of Mandi district, four government schools – Government Senior Secondary School and Primary School Ghiri, Primary School Thamari, and Kharlod – have been declared closed on Tuesday due to heavy rain. However, teachers and staff are expected to report to duty. According to the Meteorological Department, Mandi recorded the highest rainfall of 151 mm from Monday night to Tuesday morning, followed by Baggi (104 mm), Sundernagar (84 mm), Murari Devi (83 mm), Nadaun (78 mm), Gohar (72 mm), Karsog (56 mm), Palampur (55 mm), Pandoh (53 mm), and Nangal Dam (49 mm).

The rainfall has led to a rise in water levels at the Kol Dam, and its management has announced the release of excess water. Similarly, due to increased water levels in the Beas River, extra water will also be released through the gates of the Pandoh Dam. The administration has warned locals and tourists to stay away from rivers and streams. Heavy rainfall has again affected life in the Seraj region of Mandi district.

The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain in Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra districts for Tuesday. Mandi, Hamirpur, and Sirmaur are under a yellow alert. Additionally, a yellow alert for heavy rain has been issued for several areas of the state from August 6 to August 11.

Meanwhile, a major landslide occurred in the tribal region of Bharmaur’s Baloth panchayat in Chamba district, cutting off access to about a dozen villages from the district headquarters. Continuous rain has also been reported in Shimla since Monday night, as well as in Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, and Kinnaur districts, increasing public hardship.

Four National Highways and 449 Roads Closed; 783 Power Transformers Shut Down

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, due to heavy rain and landslides, four national highways and 449 roads across the state were closed to traffic as of Tuesday morning. Mandi district has the highest number of closed national highways – three in total. These include the Mandi-Kullu NH-21 near Nau Mile, Mandi-Dharampur NH-003 at Kainchi Mod, and Mandi-Jogindernagar NH-154 near the women’s police station. In Kullu district, NH-305 is blocked near Zed Khang. In addition, 318 roads are closed in Mandi, 67 in Kullu, 32 in Kangra, and 22 in Sirmaur.

A total of 783 power transformers are currently non-functional across the state, with Mandi district alone accounting for 656 of these. The highest number is reported in Gohar region of Mandi, where 547 transformers are shut down. Kullu district has 68 transformers that are non-operational. Furthermore, 276 drinking water schemes have been impacted, including 120 in Kangra, 86 in Mandi, and 49 in Chamba.

The ongoing extreme weather has already caused substantial loss of life and property. According to the report from the State Emergency Operation Centre, a total of 192 deaths have been recorded across the state so far during this monsoon season. The highest number of deaths – 42 – occurred in Mandi, followed by Kangra (30), and Shimla, Kullu, and Chamba with 18 each. Other districts include Solan (13), Hamirpur (12), Una and Kinnaur (11 each), Bilaspur (8), Lahaul-Spiti (6), and Sirmaur (5).

Heavy rainfall and landslides have damaged a total of 1,692 houses across the state, with 464 completely destroyed. Mandi district alone has reported damage to 1,089 houses, of which 391 have collapsed entirely. Additionally, 298 shops and 1,524 cow sheds have also been damaged.

According to the state government’s assessment, the total loss in Himachal Pradesh so far has reached ₹1,753 crore. The highest losses are reported by the Public Works Department at ₹888 crore, followed by the Jal Shakti Department at ₹618 crore. With no immediate respite in sight, further damage is feared in the coming days.