Monsoon mayhem in Himachal: 5 dead
The state witnessed 11 cloudburst incidents, four flash floods and a major landslide Tuesday, most of them in Mandi district, disrupting normal life. Mandi received extensively high rainfall of 253.8 mm since Monday.
A total of 406 roads are closed in the state following rains, out of which 248 are in Mandi district alone where 994 transformers have also been disrupted, according to the state emergency operation centre (SEOC).
Twenty four houses, 12 cattle sheds, one bridge and several roads have been damaged, 30 cattle perished and efforts are on to rescue nine stranded people in Mandi district, the officials said.
A total of 332 people, including 278 in Mandi, 51 in Hamirpur and three in Chamba, have been rescued, the SEOC said. All educational institutions in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi and Shimla districts remained closed on Tuesday due to a heavy rain alert.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre in Shimla has forecast continuous rainfall across the state for the next seven days. An orange alert for heavy rain has been issued for five days, while a yellow alert is in place for two days.
According to the Disaster Management Authority in Mandi, Padam Singh (75) and his wife Devku Devi (70), Jhabe Ram (50) and his wife Parvati Devi (47), Surmi Devi (70), Indra Dev (29) and his wife Umavati (27), their daughter Kanika (9) and their seven-year-old son Gautam went missing from Gohar sub-division.
The water discharge from the Pandoh Dam has reached 157,000 cusecs, causing flooding in the Beas river. As a result, the Pandoh market is now inundated, and residents have vacated their homes, with SDRF taking charge of operations.
The water was released after the water level of Pandoh Dam reached 2,922 feet against the danger mark of 2,941 feet.
Meanwhile, 51 people, including 30 labourers, stranded in Ballah village in Hamirpur district were also rescued following a sudden surge in the Beas river inundated low-lying areas of Ballah early in the day after water was released from Pandoh Dam.
Reports of damage to 'kutcha' houses, water pipeline and power cables are also coming in from Hamirpur district and people are forced to move on foot as the road from Sujanpur Tira to Sandhol on the left bank of Beas is partially submerged and blocked for vehicular traffic.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, 'According to the preliminary assessment, losses worth Rs 500 crore have been reported. The Beas River is in spate. A woman's body has been recovered from the banks of the Beas in Nadaun. Damage reports are continuously coming in from several areas; thus, the total loss figure may increase.'
The CM said, 'Power projects have suffered the most damage due to the rains, and operations have been affected. The increasing number of cloudburst incidents over the past two to three years is a matter of concern… the causes are being reviewed.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Uttarakhand Landslide: Disaster Response Force Rescues 40 Stranded Pilgrims
Rudraprayag: Amid relentless rainfall and deteriorating weather conditions in Uttarakhand, around 40 devotees returning from the Kedarnath Dham were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Thursday after being stranded near the Sonprayag landslide zone. The pilgrims were trapped following a sudden landslide that caused debris to block the route around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, making movement impossible. The landslide occurred near Sonprayag, a crucial transit point on the Kedarnath Yatra route. Responding swiftly, SDRF teams reached the site and conducted a high-risk nighttime rescue operation. #WATCH | Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand | SDRF rescued around 40 devotees stranded in the Sonprayag landslide zone while on their way back from Shri Kedarnath Dham. Debris suddenly fell late at night near Sonprayag on the way to Kedarnath Dham, due to which more than 40 pilgrims… — ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2025 Video footage released by the SDRF showed officials manoeuvring through the debris under dangerous conditions to safely evacuate the stranded pilgrims. The hill state continues to grapple with widespread disruptions triggered by heavy rainfall. The Badrinath National Highway was blocked near the Badrish Hotel in Umtta following a fresh landslide, according to Chamoli Police. Similarly, the Yamunotri National Highway has been severely affected, with portions of the road between Silai Band and Ojri washed away due to incessant downpour. Multiple agencies, including the SDRF, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police, and forest department personnel, are working together to assist both pilgrims and residents. They are creating temporary trails, providing transport facilities, and guiding people through alternate safe paths to ensure their timely and secure transit. Essential services have also taken a major hit. Electricity supply has been disrupted in various areas, including Agrakhaal, Chamba, Jakhindhar, and Dughamandar. Water supply systems have been affected in several parts of the Chamba block, adding to the woes of residents already dealing with flooded roads and blocked routes. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely to continue in several districts. "Intense to very intense spells of rain are expected at isolated locations in Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, Nainital, and Bageshwar districts," the IMD stated. Other hilly districts of the state may also witness thunderstorms with lightning and intense rainfall in isolated pockets.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Himachal Pradesh Rain Fury: 34 Missing, Search Operation Continues In Mandi
Shimla: Rescuers resumed the search operation in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district on the third day on Thursday to locate 34 people who went missing after cloudbursts and heavy rain triggered massive landslides and flash floods. The India Meteorological Department has predicted a moderate flash flood risk in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts till Friday. Amid heavy rain and broken roads, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team on Wednesday set an example of courage and dedication by carrying a pregnant woman in a palanquin for miles to reach a hospital in the Thunag area in Mandi district. Torrential rain on Tuesday caused severe flooding, washing away 14 bridges, 148 houses and two shops, resulting in 11 deaths, largely in Mandi district. The death count could rise as the survival of the missing people after more than 48 hours of disaster is getting dim. A total of 157 people have been housed in five relief camps, the HP State Emergency Operation Centre said. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday visited Syathi village, which is located in the Laungani panchayat in Dharampur in Mandi, where he met families affected by a cloudburst, listened to their woes, shared grief and also reviewed relief and rehabilitation operations. The district administration has provided assistance of Rs 1.70 lakh as financial aid, ration, tarpaulins and other relief material to each household. Speaking to the affected families, the Chief Minister said the government stands firmly with all the affected and assured them of all possible assistance. Recalling the frightening incident, villagers narrated their sorrows and said that the entire village was swept away all of a sudden, and they now do not have a place left to pitch even the tents for shelter. 'Many of us narrowly escaped death and were eyewitnesses to the horrifying incident,' a local resident told the Chief Minister.
Hans India
5 hours ago
- Hans India
Himachal rain havoc: 34 still missing, rescuers resume search operation
Shimla: Rescuers resumed the search operation in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district on the third day on Thursday to locate 34 people who went missing after cloudbursts and heavy rain triggered massive landslides and flash floods. The India Meteorological Department has predicted a moderate flash flood risk in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts till Friday. Amid heavy rain and broken roads, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team on Wednesday set an example of courage and dedication by carrying a pregnant woman in a palanquin for miles to reach a hospital in the Thunag area in Mandi district. Torrential rain on Tuesday caused severe flooding, washing away 14 bridges, 148 houses and two shops, resulting in 11 deaths, largely in Mandi district. The death toll could rise as the survival of the missing people after more than 48 hours of disaster is getting dim. A total of 157 people have been housed in five relief camps, the HP State Emergency Operation Centre said. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday visited Syathi village, which is located in the Laungani panchayat in Dharampur in Mandi, where he met families affected by a cloudburst, listened to their woes, shared grief and also reviewed relief and rehabilitation operations. The district administration has provided assistance of Rs 1.70 lakh as financial aid, ration, tarpaulins and other relief material to each household. Speaking to the affected families, the Chief Minister said the government stands firmly with all the affected and assured them of all possible assistance. Recalling the frightening incident, villagers narrated their sorrows and said that the entire village was swept away all of a sudden, and they now do not have a place left to pitch even the tents for shelter. 'Many of us narrowly escaped death and were eyewitnesses to the horrifying incident,' a local resident told the Chief Minister.
