Heavy rains over the past two days have caused landslides and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, leading to the closure of over 280 roads. A government release reported that the recent heavy rainfall and flooding in Himachal Pradesh have caused a catastrophic loss of Rs 900 crore to the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the state’s road infrastructure.
According to officials, 150 roads were closed on Saturday alone. The officials informed that 138 roads were closed on Friday and 150 on Saturday. Data from the state emergency operation center shows that 96 roads are closed in Mandi, 76 in Shimla, 37 in Kullu, 33 in Sirmaur, 26 in Chamba, seven in Lahaul and Spiti, five in Hamirpur, and four each in Kangra and Kinnaur.
Kinnaur district has been cut off from Shimla due to flash floods between Pooh and Kaurik and a landslide on National Highway 5 near Negulsari. In addition, 458 power schemes and 48 water supply schemes are affected.
Flash floods in Kullu, Mandi and Shimla
Rescue operations are underway to locate about 30 individuals who went missing after the July 31 flash floods in Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts, but there has been limited success so far. Officials report that 28 bodies have been recovered. Rain-related incidents have claimed more than 100 lives.
Water from overflowing streams has flooded several homes in Una, while the police in Lahaul and Spiti have advised residents and travelers to exercise extreme caution and avoid crossing the rapidly rising Jahalman Nallah.
Orange alert for Himachal
The regional meteorological office has issued an ‘orange’ alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, and Una. The alert includes warnings for thunderstorms and lightning, with a risk of low to moderate flash floods in isolated areas of Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla.
As of August 10, Himachal Pradesh has received 328.8 mm of rain, representing a 28 percent deficit compared to the average of 455.5 mm for the monsoon season starting June 1.