Monsoon continues to batter Himachal, causing fatalities and widespread disruption
Heavy rainfall across Himachal Pradesh has resulted in at least 81 rain-related deaths since the monsoon began on 30 June and inflicted around ₹1,001 crore in infrastructure damage, officials reported on Tuesday. The latest incident in Sirmaur district left three people dead after a landslide triggered the collapse of a limestone quarry area.
The Sirmaur fatalities occurred near Kamrou village when a slope gave way at a mining site in Bagandhar as a truck was exiting the quarry. Local authorities said the victims included a truck driver and two Nepalese labourers. A rescue operation was under way despite continued rainfall, Shillai Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jaspal said.
Across the state, heavy showers and related hazards have impaired transport and essential services. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported 88 roads remained blocked as of Tuesday evening, down from 105 earlier in the day following restoration efforts. The most affected districts were:
- Mandi – 32 roads blocked
- Kullu – 25 roads blocked
- Sirmaur – 10 roads blocked
- Shimla and Kangra – 6 each
- Chamba and Una – 4 each
- Lahaul-Spiti – 1 road blocked
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Rain-related deaths since June 30 | 81 |
| Estimated infrastructure loss | ₹1,001 crore |
| Blocked roads (statewide, evening) | 88 |
| Disrupted distribution transformers (evening) | 12 |
| Water-supply schemes affected | 19 |
Transport and utilities under strain
Rail and road services suffered interruptions: train movement on the Kalka–Shimla heritage line was suspended after a landslide near Koti in Solan district. Debris and waterlogging hampered traffic on several highways, including the Shimla–Kalka National Highway; Old Kasauli Road and parts of Parwanoo experienced flood-like conditions in low-lying areas.
Power restoration made some progress during the day, with the number of disrupted distribution transformers (DTRs) reduced from 36 in the morning to 12 by evening. Hamirpur accounted for the bulk of affected transformers, with nine, while Shimla had two and Kullu one. Water-supply schemes were hit too: the SEOC listed 19 schemes disrupted, including 12 in Hamirpur, five in Shimla and two in Bilaspur.
Rescues and local incidents
In Sirmaur district, besides the quarry collapse, authorities rescued 52 students and 12 staff who were stranded at Matar School in Nahan after heavy rain isolated the facility for several hours. Local administration teams coordinated evacuations and relief where access allowed.
In the tribal Lahaul–Spiti region, flash floods in the Karpat Nallah in Miyar Valley and the Gawadi Nallah in the Chowkhang Naingar area closed roads and blocked a route to Karpat village. Lahaul–Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana said flood-control works undertaken earlier had limited damage to Karpat but repeated flooding prevented reopening of the Chowkhang Naingar road; restoration work was expected to resume on Wednesday.
“The administration and concerned departments have been directed to conduct an on-site inspection and take appropriate action,” Rana said, adding that teams were instructed to assess flood damage.
Forecast and advisories
The Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places over the next three days, while the State Meteorological Centre forecast heavy rainfall across Himachal till 21 August and placed several districts under orange and yellow alerts.
Authorities urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain cautious, avoid non-essential travel on blocked routes, and follow instructions from local administration and disaster-response teams. Restoration crews continued clearing debris and working to re-establish power and water services where possible.
With the monsoon still active over the region, officials said damage assessments and repair prioritisation would continue once weather conditions permit thorough on-site inspections.
