Photo Credit: HT
Himachal Pradesh is grappling with severe monsoon havoc as three people have died, schools have been shut, a five‑storey building collapse in Shimla has raised alarms, and a red alert remains in effect across ten districts. Torrential rains triggered by the advancing monsoon have washed out roads, disrupted power supply, and prompted emergency measures across the hill state.
Heavy downpours over the past 24 hours have caused fatal accidents, with one person drowning in Una and another in Bilaspur, while a third succumbed to a fall in Shimla. Authorities have recorded 129 road closures—including stretches in Mandi and Sirmaur—due to landslides and flash floods, while more than 600 transformers have failed, cutting off power to numerous villages. In anticipation of continued rainfall under the red alert, Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister directed officials in Kangra, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur to close all schools and educational institutions today, excluding residential colleges and critical hospitals, to ensure safety.
In Shimla’s Bhattakufar area, a five-storey building that had been evacuated earlier after visible cracks emerged safely collapsed in the early hours. No one was harmed, but the collapse intensified concerns about structural integrity of older buildings during intense rainfall. The nearby Shimla–Kalka heritage rail line and Chandigarh–Shimla highway remain paralyzed by landslides, with debris blocking tracks and roadways. Trains were halted at multiple stations until crews cleared the route, and highway traffic was redirected after boulders tumbled onto key stretches.
According to Hindustan Times, the India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for ten districts—Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, and Chamba—forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall. Flash‑flood warnings are in place for area tributaries and rivers, including the Beas and Juni khad. Water flows at the Larji and Pandoh dams were increased, prompting preemptive safety measures for downstream communities. Overnight cloudbursts in Sainj and other valleys have washed away cowsheds, inundated houses, and damaged power infrastructure, while authorities mobilised NDRF and SDRF teams for search and rescue.
This aggressive monsoon onset—one of the fastest since 2020—is expected to persist for the next several days, trapping many parts of the state under sustained heavy rain. Officials are monitoring rivers and vulnerable slopes, intensifying efforts to warn tourists and locals to avoid travel near streams and unstable terrain. Shelter centres have been activated where displaced families are being offered accommodation, and district administrations are on high alert to evacuate high-risk settlements.
The closure of schools in four key districts underscores the state’s determination to prevent casualties from landslides and water‑logging. Municipal teams in Solan and Mandi have begun rapid repairs of drains and embankments, yet residents in flood-prone zones remain on edge as water levels rise.
Himachal’s monsoon challenges are compounded by growing infrastructure fragility. Last year’s floods caused hundreds of deaths and widespread devastation across the Himalayan region when weather systems combined tragically. This year, with just ten days of rainfall since June 20, the state has already recorded 20 deaths and four missing persons in weather-related incidents.
As rains continue, the emphasis has shifted from relief efforts to reinforcing preventive measures. Administrators are urging communities to stay alert for early warning messages, avoid travel during peak downpours, and prepare emergency kits. Road clearance teams are working around the clock, but the combination of cloudbursts, water-logging, and falling debris threatens to disrupt connectivity and electricity further.
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