Heavy Monsoon rains cause flash floods in Himachal
Himachal Pradesh is currently experiencing heavy monsoon rains, resulting in significant disruptions and damages across the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall for the next two days, predicting that the monsoon will be particularly active during this period.
The IMD has also issued a flash flood warning for Shimla, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts, urging residents and tourists to avoid riverbanks and low-lying areas prone to flooding.
In the past 24 hours, widespread heavy rain has been recorded in several districts, including Una, Chamba, Mandi, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur. Mandi district has been particularly hard hit, with 59 roads closed due to landslides and flooding.
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway near Pandoh has been severely damaged, leading to significant travel disruptions. While one-way vehicle movement is still possible, the threat of a complete closure looms, which would further isolate Kullu and Manali from the rest of the state.
The monsoon, which arrived in Himachal Pradesh on June 27-28, has already brought 12% more rainfall than normal.
Districts like Bilaspur and Hamirpur have received 26% and 37% more rain, respectively, while Mandi and Shimla have seen a dramatic increase of 135% and 137% above average. Conversely, areas such as Chamba, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul Spiti, Sirmaur, and Una have experienced below-normal rainfall.
The heavy rainfall has caused landslides, road blockages, and flooding, impacting daily life and infrastructure.
In Shimla, the district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, has mobilized volunteers for relief and rescue operations.
The situation has also affected political activities, with election campaigns moving indoors or relying on door-to-door interactions due to the inclement weather.
Environmental concerns have been raised over the dumping of debris in the forest, nalahs, and rivers. Reports indicate that massive dumping has increased flood fury in the Sutlej River near Sunni Dams in Mandi district.
There are reports that contractors and private companies involved in such careless activities could cause devastation and flooding downstream and an increase in the dam level.
