Himachal weather: Cloudburst triggers flash flood in Shimla's Rampur; Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway blocked for over 36 hours
PTC Web Desk: A cloudburst struck Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district late Wednesday night around 10 pm, triggering a flash flood in the Darshal stream near Rampur. The sudden deluge caused panic in Taklech market area, where residents had to be evacuated overnight to safer locations. Fortunately, no casualties or property loss were reported directly due to the cloudburst.
In the last 24 hours, Naina Devi recorded the highest rainfall at 92.6 mm, followed by Raipur Maidan (81.6 mm), Pachhad (75.1 mm), Kangra (62.5 mm), Dharamshala (42.5 mm), Nadaun (32.6 mm), Kasauli (32.5 mm), and Nangal Dam (26.2 mm).
Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway blocked for over 36 hours
Heavy rainfall has severely disrupted transportation as the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway has remained blocked for nearly 40 hours. A massive landslide occurred near Jhalogi, shortly after Dwara, damaging the flyover bridge and making the highway impassable. Boulders from the hills have made clearance efforts challenging.
Hundreds of vehicles are currently stranded on the roadside with no access to food or accommodation. Llocal residents, supported by the administration, have set up community kitchens (langars) to assist the stranded passengers.
Water released again from Kol Dam amid rising Sutlej levels
Due to continuous rainfall in the hills, the water level in the Sutlej has been rising rapidly. Within the past 24 hours, the Kol Dam in Bilaspur district has released water for the third time. An alert was issued at 7.30 am on Thursday morning ahead of the water discharge. The authorities have warned that the river level may rise by 4 to 5 metre, urging people, especially in parts of Punjab, to remain vigilant. On Wednesday, water was released twice—once in the morning and again in the evening.
Yellow alert issued for two districts
According to the Meteorological Department, the monsoon is expected to weaken slightly starting today, but light rainfall is predicted to continue over the next five days. A yellow alert for rain has been issued for Sirmaur and Solan districts today.
On Friday, rain alerts will extend to Kangra, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur. On Saturday, the districts of Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Mandi will also be under a yellow alert.
Monsoon toll: 199 dead, Rs 1,905 crore in damages
Himachal Pradesh has suffered significantly this monsoon season. As of now, 199 persons have lost their lives, including 32 due to cloudbursts, flash floods, and heavy rain incidents. Another 36 persons are still reported missing.
The total damage to public and private property is estimated at Rs 1,905 crore. The state has witnessed 51 landslides, 58 flash floods, and 28 cloudburst events. As a result, 467 houses have been completely destroyed, 1,319 houses partially damaged, and 1,690 cowsheds affected.
- With inputs from agencies
