Shimla, 3 September (Kiran News): Relentless heavy rainfall has thrown life out of gear across Himachal Pradesh, with fresh landslides reported in multiple districts. The Meteorological Centre, Shimla, has issued a red alert for Solan and Sirmaur and an orange alert for Mandi, Shimla, Kullu, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Kangra, and Lahaul-Spiti districts. Thunderstorm and lightning warnings are also in place for 4 and 5 September.
Widespread Destruction in Mandi and Kullu; 6 Dead
Mandi and Kullu districts bore the brunt of the rainfall. In Sundernagar, Mandi, a landslide late last night buried two houses, resulting in the death of six people, including four members of a single family. In Kullu town’s Akhara Bazaar, a landslide trapped two Kashmiri labourers and an NDRF personnel; while one worker was rescued, two remain missing. NDRF, police, and home guard teams are carrying out rescue operations.
In Shimla’s Sunni area, the situation remains serious with the Satluj river rising to the Thalli bridge level and flooding the Kalighat and ITI localities. Authorities have advised Kol Dam management to lower water levels, and some families have been relocated to safer places as a precaution.
Rivers Swell, Roads Washed Away, and Power Supply Hit
Rain-swollen rivers and overflowing dams have led to the release of massive water volumes from Bhakra (65,042 cusecs) and Pong dams (79,659 cusecs). In Chamba, the Ravi river has crossed the danger mark, damaging the Sheetla bridge’s protection wall and washing away a portion of the road. Multiple vehicles were also damaged in Kinnaur due to rockfalls on NH-5. Light snowfall was reported on high peaks in Lahaul-Spiti, causing temperatures to drop.
Over 1,100 Roads, 7 National Highways Closed
Heavy rainfall has left much of the state’s transport system paralysed. As of Wednesday morning, seven national highways and 1,155 roads were closed. District-wise, 282 roads were blocked in Mandi, 234 in Shimla, 204 in Kullu, 137 in Sirmaur, 92 in Solan, 60 in Kangra, 48 in Lahaul-Spiti, and 37 in Bilaspur. Electricity and drinking water supply are also severely affected, with 2,477 power transformers and 720 water schemes out of order.
Schools Shut, Death Toll Climbs to 341 in Monsoon Season
All educational institutions remained closed in eight districts today. Several subdivisions in Mandi, Una, and Kinnaur have also declared holidays. Since the beginning of the monsoon season, rain-related incidents have claimed 341 lives in the state, with 41 people still missing.
Heavy Rainfall Recorded
Between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Nanodevi in Bilaspur received the highest rainfall at 136 mm, followed by Jot (100 mm), Pachhad (77 mm), Kothi (68 mm), Chamba (66 mm), Bilaspur (60 mm), Rohru and Manali (57 mm each), Palampur (52 mm), Kasauli (50 mm), Kandghat and Dadahu (48 mm each), Sarahan (45 mm), Solan and Kahu (43 mm each), Mailran (40 mm), and Shimla recorded 31 mm of rain.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.