Torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides have brought devastation across Himachal Pradesh since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, with official reports confirming 63 fatalities and 40 people still missing. The relentless downpour has triggered widespread destruction, prompting large-scale rescue efforts.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s Media Advisor, Naresh Chauhan, stated, “Sixty-three people have died, and 40 are still unaccounted for due to cloudbursts and other rain-induced disasters across the state.” In response, the state plans to provide Civil Defence training to 1% of its population to enhance disaster preparedness.
The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that 261 roads are currently blocked—186 in Mandi alone. Additionally, 599 transformers and 797 water supply schemes have been severely impacted, while over 150 homes, 104 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges, and numerous roads have sustained extensive damage.
Mandi District Sees Rising Toll
Mandi has emerged as the worst-hit district, where 13 people have died and 29 remain missing following multiple cloudbursts, flash floods, and a landslide. Seven bodies were recovered from Gohar, five from Thunag, and one from Karsog.
In total, 370 individuals have been rescued, including 316 from Mandi district. Authorities have established five relief camps, while NDRF and SDRF teams, along with police and home guards, are conducting intensive rescue and search operations.
Orange Alert & Weather Forecast
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert from July 5 to 9, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas across Himachal. The alert also includes a low to moderate risk of flash floods in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur over the next 24 hours.
Several regions have already experienced heavy downpours:
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Pachhad (Sirmaur) – 133.3 mm
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Mehra Barsar – 92 mm
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Jubbarhatti – 59.4 mm
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Jatton Barrage – 56.6 mm
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Una – 55.2 mm
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Baijnath – 55 mm
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Brahmani – 42.2 mm
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Baggi – 37.5 mm
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Murari Devi – 34.6 mm
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Kangra – 32.6 mm
The state remains on high alert as emergency teams race against time to locate missing individuals and restore essential services.
