Relentless torrential rain has thrown Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district into crisis, triggering widespread landslides that have severed road connectivity, stranded thousands, and brought daily life to a standstill.
For the third straight day, Manali remains virtually cut off from the rest of the state, with 288 roads—including the crucial Kiratpur–Manali highway—completely blocked. The four-lane highway, considered the lifeline linking Mandi to Kullu, Manali, Lahaul-Spiti, and onward to Leh-Ladakh, has been shut between Mandi and Banala after multiple landslides. More than 2,000 vehicles are trapped on both sides, leaving locals, commuters, and tourists stuck in worsening weather conditions.
Hopes of relief via the Katoala alternative route were dashed when a fresh landslide blocked that road as well, compounding logistical challenges for the administration.
On the Manali–Leh highway, fresh snowfall at Baralacha Pass stranded three trucks in Lahaul-Spiti, though police later rescued the drivers safely. Heavy snowfall at Kunzum Pass has also snapped road links between Lahaul Valley and Spiti since yesterday.
The disruption is already hitting the local economy. Former Zila Parishad chairperson Ramesh Kumar Rulba warned that tons of vegetables are rotting in fields across Lahaul and Spiti, threatening farmers’ seasonal income and disrupting supply chains across the state.
Officials are working round the clock to restore road connectivity as well as power and water lines, but progress remains slow due to continuous rainfall and the looming threat of further landslides. District authorities have urged residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary and to strictly follow safety advisories.
With weather forecasts predicting more rain, officials fear the crisis could deepen before conditions improve. Disaster response teams remain on high alert, closely monitoring the evolving situation.
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