Orange Alert in Four Himachal Districts: Six Died in Rain-Related Incidents, 170 Deaths This Monsoon, 357 Roads Blocked

Shimla, July 29:
The monsoon has once again unleashed havoc across Himachal Pradesh, with intense rainfall lashing several parts of the state since Monday night. The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi districts for July 30, warning of heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning. A yellow alert has also been issued for Una, Hamirpur, Shimla, and Sirmaur districts. From July 31 to August 4, different regions of the state are expected to witness heavy rain under a continued yellow alert.

As per the latest forecast:

• On July 31, heavy rain is likely in Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Sirmaur.

• On August 1, alerts are in place for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Sirmaur.

• On August 2, similar warnings cover Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Kullu.

The public has been advised to stay vigilant and avoid going near rivers and streams.

Six Killed in Rain-Related Incidents

Six people have lost their lives in rain-related tragedies across different districts. These include:

• Three deaths in Mandi due to flooding and landslides,

• One death each in Kangra, Shimla, and Hamirpur – with the latter two resulting from road accidents.

Cloudburst Causes Devastation in Mandi

A cloudburst early Tuesday morning wreaked havoc in parts of Mandi town, particularly in the Jail Road and Hospital Road areas. A sudden surge of water and debris entered residential homes. Three people died, one is missing, and another was injured. NDRF, SDRF, and police teams carried out rescue operations, evacuating many safely.

Heaviest Rainfall in Mandi

In the last 24 hours, Mandi’s Sandhol recorded the highest rainfall at 210 mm, followed by:

• Mandi town: 200 mm

• Pandoh: 120 mm

• Kattuala: 90 mm

• Dehra Gopipur (Kangra), Barthin (Bilaspur), Nadaun (Hamirpur), Una: 70 mm each

• Gohar and Sujanpur Tira (Mandi): 70 mm

• Baldwara, Kahu (Bilaspur), and several other locations recorded between 50–60 mm.

1 National Highway, 357 Roads Closed

Heavy rainfall and landslides have led to the closure of 1 National Highway and 357 roads:

• Mandi: 259 roads blocked

• Kullu: 47

• Kangra: 24

In Mandi alone, 172 power transformers and 47 water supply schemes are non-functional. Statewide, 182 transformers and 179 water supply schemes are affected. PWD, Jal Shakti, and disaster management teams are working on restoring services, with NDRF on alert.

Monsoon Toll: 170 Deaths So Far

Since June 20, Himachal has seen:

• 170 deaths due to landslides, floods, and rain-related accidents

• 278 injured, 36 missing

Breakdown by district:

• Mandi: 35 deaths, 27 missing

• Kangra: 25 deaths

• Kullu, Chamba: 17 each

• Shimla: 14

• Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Solan, Una: 11 each

• Bilaspur: 8

• Lahaul-Spiti: 6

• Sirmaur: 4

Of the 170 deaths:

• 103 were due to landslides (34), flash floods (43) and cloudbursts (26)

• 76 were due to road accidents

Over 1,300 Homes Damaged

A total of 1,352 homes have sustained damage—469 completely destroyed, and 376 of them in Mandi alone.

Loss of Livestock and Poultry

The disaster has also claimed the lives of over 21,500 poultry birds and 1,402 livestock.

Damages Exceed ₹1,523 Crore

The State Emergency Operations Centre has estimated:

• ₹780 crore losses to the Public Works Department

• ₹499 crore to the Jal Shakti Department

• Total losses have surpassed ₹1,523 crore

Little Relief in Sight

According to the Met Department, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to continue over the next 24 hours, especially in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi. Authorities have urged residents to remain alert, as persistent rainfall and frequent landslides continue to disrupt normal life, with more challenging days ahead.