Himachal flood fury: Beas overflows, Rs 550 crore damage in 3 days; Manali's Raison toll plaza submerged
PTC Web Desk: After days of relentless rainfall, Himachal Pradesh witnessed a brief respite with clearer skies on Wednesday, but the impact of the floods continues to devastate the state. Overflowing rivers, especially the Beas, have wreaked havoc across several districts, submerging highways, washing away buildings, and leaving thousands stranded.
Visuals from Manali showed the Raison toll plaza completely submerged, as the Beas surged through the road. In Kullu’s Manali, the river’s strong current swept away a multi-storey hotel and four shops, while parts of the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway and nearly 200 meters of the Manali-Leh Highway were washed away, cutting off major routes and stranding tourists.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the state recorded 12 flash floods, two major landslides, and one cloudburst since Monday evening. Of these, nine occurred in Lahaul and Spiti, two in Kullu, and one in Kangra, while a cloudburst was reported from Chamba.
Beas is collecting the toll now, the river is claiming back its land. Visuals from Raison toll near Manali where the road is gone and the Beas now flows through the toll plaza. Sun is out today but rains are expected to be back soon. pic.twitter.com/xXgdH28o5C — Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) August 27, 2025
Although there was no direct loss of life from these incidents, one person drowned in Kangra and another died after a fall in Kinnaur.
Infrastructure in ruins
The SEOC reported that as of Tuesday evening, 680 roads remained closed, including 343 in Mandi and 132 in Kullu. Additionally, 1,413 transformers were damaged and 420 water supply schemes were disrupted.
State Minister Vikramaditya Singh estimated that the Public Works Department (PWD) had suffered losses worth Rs 1,400 crore, including Rs 550 crore in just the last three days. “Several bridges and roads have been washed away in Kullu and Manali. The state government is working with the NHAI and deploying heavy machinery to restore connectivity,” he said, adding that despite challenges, support is being extended to affected families.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, speaking to ANI, said the large-scale destruction was a direct outcome of climate change and global warming. “Heavy rainfall in Manali, Kangra, and Chamba has caused severe damage to highways and homes. The Himalayas will face even greater threats in the future. A special disaster relief package must be announced by the Centre,” he urged.
He also confirmed that the Manimahesh Yatra has been suspended due to the heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted isolated heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh for the next seven days and issued an orange alert for several districts.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh appealed to residents to avoid unnecessary travel. “National highways have been badly damaged, water levels are dangerously high, and evacuations are ongoing,” she said.
Kullu SP Dr Karthikeyan Gokul Chandran described Manali as the worst-hit subdivision, urging locals and tourists to follow official safety guidelines.
- With inputs from agencies
