- By Priyanka Koul
- Mon, 21 Jul 2025 01:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Himachal Weather: Monsoon continues to wreak the state of Himachal Pradesh, throwing life out of gear and leaving behind a trail of destruction. A newlywed couple lost their lives, schools were forced to shut down, and hundreds of roads remain blocked, as relentless downpours triggered landslides and flash floods across the state.
In Chamba district, tragedy struck early Monday morning when a boulder dislodged by heavy rain crashed onto a house in Sutanh village. Sunny and Pallu, a recently married couple visiting the woman’s parental home, were killed in the incident. Authorities confirmed the house was crushed under the weight of the debris.
As rainfall intensified, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of possible low to moderate flash floods in eight districts. A red alert was also issued for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Shimla, Kangra, Chamba, Sirmaur, and Mandi.
The impact was felt widely across Himachal, where 471 roads are currently blocked, severely affecting movement and emergency response. “The maximum 310 [road closures] were in disaster-hit Mandi district,” said the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). Additionally, 1,199 power transformers and 676 water supply schemes have been disrupted.
Schools Shut Amid Heavy Rainfall
Educational institutions were ordered shut in several regions, including Theog, Rohru, Jubbal, Chopal, and Kumarsain (Shimla district), Thunag and Karsog (Mandi district), Ani (Kullu district); and Shillai (Sirmaur district).
Key transport routes have also been severely impacted. National Highway 707 (Hatkoti to Poanta Sahib) remains closed near Shillai, while debris continues to block the Mandi-Kullu stretch at multiple points. The Pathankot-Bilaspur National Highway is also impassable. In one incident, a vehicle was buried under a landslide near Thalot in Mandi. Meanwhile, in Chamba, the Nakrod-Thalli Bridge was washed away, and in Shimla, the Jubbarhatti road closure left many commuters stranded for hours.
The state has been under continuous rainfall since Sunday night, with Kangra district recording the highest rainfall at 147.4 mm. Other heavily affected areas include Nagrota Suriyan (127.4 mm), Chuwari (118.3 mm), Mandi (112.4 mm), Jogindernagar (100 mm), Nahan (95.7 mm), and Pandoh (86 mm).
Since the monsoon’s onset on June 20, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed alarming devastation. “72 people have died and 34 have gone missing in rain-related incidents,” officials reported. The state has also recorded 34 flash floods, 22 cloudbursts, and 21 landslides, with cumulative losses estimated at Rs 1,235 crore, according to the meteorological department.
WITH PTI INPUTS
