Monsoon Havoc in Himachal: 69 Dead, 37 Missing, 110 Injured – Heavy Rain Alert Until July 9

Shimla, July 3:
Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under the fury of the monsoon as relentless rains, cloudbursts, and landslides wreak havoc across the state. Crumbling hillsides, washed-out roads, disrupted electricity and water supplies, and widespread destruction have thrown life into disarray, posing serious threats to safety and livelihoods.

Since June 20, 69 lives have been lost in rain-related incidents, while 37 people remain missing. According to the State Emergency Operations Center, 110 people have been injured and the estimated losses have crossed ₹495 crore.

Mandi Sees Worst Destruction; Relief Operations Underway

Mandi district has borne the brunt of the devastation. On the night of June 30 alone, 13 cloudbursts were reported in the district. So far, 14 people have died and 31 are missing. NDRF and SDRF teams are actively engaged in rescue and relief efforts in Gohar, Thunag, Karsog, and Janjehli. A total of 348 people have been rescued safely.

Damage in the district includes:

• 154 houses completely destroyed

• 31 vehicles damaged

• 2 shops and 106 cowsheds collapsed

• 14 bridges swept away

• 165 cattle perished

Statewide Infrastructure Crippled

As of Thursday evening, 246 roads across Himachal remain closed to traffic—145 in Mandi alone, followed by 36 in Kullu, 25 in Sirmaur, and 22 in Shimla. Power infrastructure has taken a massive hit, with 404 transformers down, including 353 in Mandi. Water supply schemes have also been severely affected:

• 605 schemes shut in Mandi

• 104 in Hamirpur

• 21 in Sirmaur

In total, 784 water supply systems are currently non-functional, leaving residents struggling for drinking water.

Rain to Continue; Flash Flood Alerts Issued

The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state from July 5 to 9. Flash flood warnings are in place for Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, and Sirmaur in the next 24 hours.

Rainfall in the past 24 hours includes:

• Pachhad (Sirmaur): 133 mm

• Barsar (Hamirpur): 92 mm

• Jubbarhatti (Shimla): 59 mm

• Una: 55 mm

• Nahan: 42 mm

• Kangra: 32 mm

• Sarahan: 29 mm

• Sundernagar: 19 mm

• Shimla City: 10 mm

Landslide in Shimla: Retaining Wall Collapses in Dhalli

In Shimla’s Dhalli area, a retaining wall at a four-lane construction site in Lindidhar village collapsed on Thursday, narrowly avoiding a major tragedy. Several apple trees were buried under debris, and multiple homes were placed at risk. Fearing further slides, residents have begun moving to safer locations. Locals blamed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for negligence. According to officials, one house has been evacuated as a precaution.