Himachal monsoon fury: Landslides, floods wreak havoc, over 150 dead; IMD issues orange alert

PTC News Desk: The monsoon situation in Himachal Pradesh is getting worse, with 259 roads blocked across the state. Landslides, flash floods and other rain-related incidents have claimed 157 lives, while nearly 900 properties and public infrastructure projects have been damaged.

According to the latest State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) report, covering the period from June 30 to August 9, around 68 people died in landslides and flash floods, while 89 people were killed in road accidents. Around 257 people are still missing.

Heavy rains have also affected the state's power supply with Kullu and Mandi being the worst-hit districts. Around 161 distribution transformers (DTRs) have remained non-functional for more than a week. Mandi has the highest number of damaged transformers at 77, followed by Shimla with 43 and Kullu with 40.

Continuous rainfall has caused rivers and streams in Kullu to rise rapidly. Videos from the region show landslides sending large amounts of debris down mountains and flash floods sweeping away vehicles and temporary bridges.

Neighbouring Uttarakhand is also facing severe monsoon-related damage. In a dramatic incident in Chamoli's Niti Valley, a metal bridge was torn apart and swept away by powerful floodwaters.

Mandi and Kullu Among Worst-Affected

Landslides have made around 259 roads unusable, including the important Mandi-Kullu highway. Mandi is the worst affected, with 120 roads blocked, followed by Chamba with 42, Kullu with 40 and Shimla with 30.

Authorities are working to reopen the roads as quickly as possible. However, continued heavy rain and fresh landslides are making rescue and restoration work difficult in the mountainous areas.

The Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla and Sirmaur. Moderate to heavy rainfall is also expected in Chamba, Kullu, Solan and Bilaspur.