Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today expressed serious concern over the rising incidents of cloudburst in the state and said that the matter had been taken up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Sukhu, while presiding over the 9th meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), said that disasters posed the biggest challenge for the future and combating the adverse effects of climate change was a pressing concern of humanity.

“There should be safe constructions and people should construct their houses at least 100 metres from rivers and rivulets. Government departments must also set up their projects at least 100 metres from water streams to minimise losses,” he added.

He said that in the past few days, Mandi district recorded 123 per cent excess rainfall, which caused widespread devastation, while Shimla got 105 per cent excess rain. He added that recently, 19 cloudbursts had occurred, causing significant loss of human lives and property.

Sukhu directed the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to issue regular weather updates to the public and counter misinformation circulating on social media. He added that the SDMA was the sole authority to issue alerts and urged people to rely only on official information.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was making all-out efforts to rehabilitate and provide relief to the affected families. Unscientific muck dumping was leading to damage and there should be a scientific mechanism for its disposal to prevent further damage, he added.

He said that the state government was trying to strengthen the SDRF and a new campus for it was being set up at Palampur in Kangra district.

The State Institute of Disaster Management would be established at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla, while Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, would carry out research and development work, he added.

Sukhu directed persons concerned to conduct a study on high risk glacial lakes and rope in the local community to raise awareness.

He said that disasters were happening frequently and in 2023 Himachal Pradesh had suffered significant losses during the monsoon season when thousands of people were affected.

He said that a Rs 891 crore disaster risk reduction project was being implemented. Under the project, strengthening of the HPSDMA and the DDMAs would be done along with fortifying disaster preparedness through an effective early warning system and supporting mitigation measures, which would be completed in March, 2030.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today handed over the investigations to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in regard to forest wood and logs that got accumulated in the Pandoh Dam during the recent cloudbursts.

Logs in huge quantity were sighted floating in the dam recently which got accumulated after they were swept down.

A spokesperson of the state government said that the inquiry will bring forth the reason for this accumulation.

“The first and foremost reaction to the incidents of cloudbursts and floods was to save the life of people and provide immediate relief to them wherein effective measures were underway to bring back normalcy in the flood-hit regions,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention that videos and photographs of wood flushing down with the river and found floating in the Pandoh dam went viral on a few media platforms, raising public concern and prompting need for investigation.

He said that while the government and the administration was busy helping people, the BJP made hue and cry regarding the forest wood without showing and sensitivity and concern for the ones affected by the disasters.

“The BJP leaders were making irresponsible statements at the time of these natural disasters which shows that the Opposition is highly insensitive when it comes to such matters as the issues of illegal felling of trees were never inquired and no accountability was set during their tenure.”

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president and former MP Pratibha Singh today visited several villages affected by cloudbursts and landslides in Karsog subdivision of Mandi district.

Touring the worst-hit areas of Sharkol, Kuti, Megli, Old Bazaar, Lower Karsog and Neli, where she met affected families and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and property.

During her visit, Pratibha Singh met the relatives of a deceased family member in Sharkol and two missing persons in Kuti village. Offering them words of comfort, she also extended financial help from her personal funds to the grieving families.

Addressing the media during her visit, Pratibha emphasised that the Congress government stands firmly with every affected family in this hour of natural calamity. She assured that all possible support would be provided for relief and rehabilitation.

“The government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is keeping a close watch on the situation. District authorities have been instructed to remain active on the ground and provide timely help to those in need,” she said.

She further informed that families, who have lost their homes completely, will be provided with a monthly rental allowance of Rs 5,000 until permanent housing is arranged. Search operations for missing individuals remain the government’s top priority.

Ten-month-old Neetika is probably the lone survivor of her family, whose three members were either washed away or died in a cloudburst that hit Talwara village in Mandi district.

The infant’s 31-year-old father, Ramesh Kumar, was out of his house, stanching the flow of water gushing inside his home on Tuesday, when a cloudburst struck the village. His body was found in debris.

Neetika’s mother, Radha Devi, 24, and grandmother, Purnu Devi, 59, ventured out in Ramesh’s search. Both women are yet to be traced.

It was a neighbour, Prem Singh, who spotted the infant crying alone and took her to Ramesh’s cousin, Balwant, a personal security officer of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

“The baby is with us,” Balwant said.

He said the sub-divisional magistrate has offered to open a bank account in the name of the infant and it will be opened tomorrow.

“She (the SDM) said that a lot of calls are streaming in and people are coming forward to help the child after they heard about the tragedy,” Balwant said.

The areas most affected by the cloudburst are Pawara, Thunag, Baidshad, Kanda, and Murad, with massive destruction in all these panchayats, where roads, water, and power schemes have suffered considerable damages.

Fourteen persons have died so far in ten incidents of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in Mandi district, while searches are underway to trace 31 missing, officials said.

Balwant said Ramesh, too, had also lost his father when he was just six months old.

Ramesh was a farmer who did not earn well and relied in great part on Purnu Devi’s salary for household expenses, he said. Purnu Devi is a peon in a government school and was due for retirement in seven months.

An ex gratia amount of Rs 25,000 has been given to Neetika’s relatives for her expenses.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri yesterday announced that travel and goods transport through the Baglamukhi ropeway near Pandoh in Mandi would remain completely free of cost for the next seven to 10 days.

The decision is a major relief for the flood-affected residents of Seraj and Nachan areas in Mandi district, which have remained largely cut off due to heavy landslides and flashfloods following a cloudburst on June 30.

Agnihotri toured the disaster-hit areas in the district on Friday and Saturday and used the ropeway himself to reach remote locations.

He termed the ropeway as the “only lifeline” and said, “This is not a time for profit; this is a time for service.

The ropeway will remain free of cost until further orders and emergency use will also be allowed via phone requests.” Over 1,500 people have already benefited from this facility.

The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the damage caused by flashfloods and said that a Rs 121-crore drinking water scheme in Seraj had been severely impacted. He added that statewide losses had crossed Rs 300 crore.

To expedite recovery, the Jal Shakti Department and the Public Works Department had been allowed to bypass traditional tendering norms and proceed with offline procurement and repair work. Local purchase of pipes had also been authorised to avoid delays.

He said that two Chief Engineers and four Executive Engineers had been deployed in Seraj to supervise restoration efforts. In the Tandi-Saroa area, clean drinking water was still a key concern and officials had been ordered to ensure urgent restoration of water supply, he added.

During visits to relief camps in Sharan and Bada villages, Agnihotri met the flood affected families and praised their resilience.

In Bada village alone, 42 homes had been marked in the red zone, including 16 completely damaged. All government rest houses under the Jal Shakti Department had been opened for sheltering the disaster-hit people.

Agnihotri also met Tanusha Thakur, a survivor who remained trapped under debris for five hours, and called her an “inspiration for the daughters of Himachal”.

He concluded his tour by assuring people that the state machinery was fully mobilised for rescue and relief in coordination with the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF and the local administration.

As a political storm erupted over the absence of Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut from her constituency amid massive rain-triggered devastation, the actor-turned-politician today clarified that it was former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur who had advised her not to visit the region until road connectivity was restored.

The first-time BJP MP is facing sharp criticism on the social media and other platforms for allegedly failing to stand with her constituents when Mandi was reeling under one of the worst natural tragedies.

“It’s heart-breaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now. I tried reaching the affected areas, but was advised by Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to wait until connectivity to rain-hit areas is restored,” Kangana posted on X.

She also wrote that she was awaiting clearance from the local administration, and that she would “be there soonest possible”.

When contacted, senior BJP leader Jai Ram said Kangana had contacted him soon after the rain disaster.

“As the road connectivity was snapped due to cloudbursts and flashfloods, I advised her to visit the affected areas after a day or two. She is in Mumbai currently and there’s no clarity on her visit as of now,” he said.

Questioned during a press conference in Mandi yesterday about Kangana’s “silence” and “absence” amid the widespread devastation, Jai Ram had said, “I don’t wish to comment on people who have no concern for the public…. We are in touch with those ravaged by the rain disaster… we have to live and die together.”

Kangana had drawn sharp criticism for her absence in 2023 as well when torrential rains had wreaked havoc in her home constituency, particularly parts of Kullu and Mandi districts.

The actor visited Lahaul along with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and singer Mohit Chauhan a few days ago and the trio’s video has gone viral on the social media.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu yesterday said that the state government had decided to provide Rs 5,000 per month as house rent to the rain disaster affected families whose homes had been damaged and were living in rented accommodation.

He added that the SDMs concerned had been directed to provide food supplies to the affected people. The rescue and relief operations were in full swing in the rain affected areas of the state.

Sukhu, while talking to mediapersons here, said that he had spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about over Rs 700 crore loss suffered due to cloudbursts and flashfloods in the state.

He added that a Central team would visit the affected areas soon to assess the damage caused, as a Rs 700 crore loss had already been recorded, 69 people had lost their lives and 37 persons were still missing. Shah had assured him of all possible help, he claimed.

The Chief Minister said, “It is wrong on the part of Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to politicise a natural disaster and mislead people.

Thakur had spoken with me on Thursday and all senior officers had talked to him as well. I have tried to extend all possible help and even got ration delivered.”

He said the that the state government had decided to provide Rs 5,000 per month as house rent to the rain disaster affected families whose homes had been damaged and were living in rented accommodation.

He added that the SDMs concerned had been directed to provide food supplies to the affected people.

Sukhu said that heavy rainfall had caused extensive damage to houses and land in the Seraj and Dharampur constituencies of Mandi district.

“A total of 14 cloudburst incidents have occurred in Mandi district alone this monsoon season, which is a matter of concern. There is need to study why cloudbursts are happening frequently and I raised the issue with Amit Shah ji also,” he added.

He said that due to heavy rain, roads, electricity infrastructure and drinking water supply schemes had been damaged.

He added that around 300 roads were at present blocked in the state, 790 drinking water schemes had been damaged and 332 power transformers had been affected.

Sukhu said that in Mandi district alone, 402 persons had been rescued. To a question regarding NHAI projects in the state, the Chief Minister said that the central agency should consider awarding contracts to local contractors who are familiar with the region.

The weather department has issued a red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the districts of Mandi, Sirmaur and Kangra starting July 6.

This warning comes as the state is already grappling with intense rains that have persisted over the past week.

Mandi district has experienced devastating impacts from recent weather events, including multiple cloudbursts and flash floods. Over the last week, Mandi recorded an alarming 426 per cent more rainfall than normal.

As a precautionary measure, an orange alert has been issued for other districts, including Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Shimla and Kullu until July 9.

The weather department cautioned residents about potential hazards associated with the upcoming rains.

These include landslides, mudslides, land subsidence, flooding in river catchment areas, flash floods, and extensive damage to horticulture and standing crops.

Authorities are urging residents in affected areas to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety during this severe weather event.

With the recovery of two more bodies, the death toll in the cloudburst and flash flood-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi has mounted to 13 while search is underway for 29 others missing, officials said on Thursday.

Ten cloudbursts, three flash floods and a landslide were witnessed in different parts of Mandi district on Tuesday.

Officials said two bodies were recovered this morning. While seven bodies were recovered from Gohar, five were from Thunag and one in Karsog subdivisions of Mandi district.

Over 150 houses, 104 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges and several roads were damaged in the calamities. A total of 162 cattle perished in the calamities, while 370 people, including 316 in Mandi, were rescued and five relief camps have been set up, the state emergency operation centre (SEOC), said.

The Manali-Keylong road was blocked following floods in a drain near Solang Nallah and the traffic has been diverted through Rohtang Pass. Men and machinery has been deployed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), officials said.

A total of 261 roads, including 186 in Mandi district, are closed for traffic in the state while 599 transformers and 797 water supply schemes have been disrupted due to heavy rains in the past few days, the SEOC added.

Both Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had visited the affected areas on Wednesday. Sukhu assured locals that if any government land is available nearby, it will be allotted to those who lost their homes.

“In case the land falls under forests, the matter will be taken up with the Union government,” he added.

Thakur said the number of missing people could rise.

Rations should be air-dropped in areas where roads have been damaged, he said.

Two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), alongside police and home guards, are actively engaged in search and rescue operations in the district.

Moderate to heavy rains, meanwhile, continued to lash parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Pachhad in Sirmaur district received 133.3 mm rain since Wednesday evening followed by Mehra Barsar 92 mm, Jubbarhatti 59.4 mm, Jatton Barrage 566 mm, Una 55.2 mm, Baijnath 55 mm, Brahmani 42.2 mm, Baggi 37.5 mm, Murari Devi 34.6 mm and Kangra 32.6 mm.

The weather office has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rains in isolated areas across the state for five days from July 5 to 9 and warned of low to moderate flashflood risk in parts of six districts of Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur in the next 24 hours.

A cloudburst in Mandi district today led to flashfloods and landslides, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Key roads were blocked and power supply was disrupted in various subdivisions of the district. Full scale rescue and relief operations were launched considering extensive devastation and damage caused to infrastructure.

According to official data, more than 248 roads were blocked in Mandi district following landslides and flashfloods.

Dharampur subdivision was the worst-hit where 60 roads were totally blocked, followed by Sarkaghat (36), Thalout (34) and Seraj and Karsog (32 each), severely affecting mobility.

Roads were also blocked in other subdivisions of the district such as Mandi-II (15), Jogindernagar (12), Gohar (6), Sundernagar (4) and Padhar (17).

Simultaneously, the region is grappling with a massive power crisis. A total of 994 electricity transformers were reportedly rendered non-functional. Gohar subdivision accounted for the highest number of 470 damaged transformers, followed by Dharampur (171), Karsog (163), Mandi (125) and Thalout (31).

Smaller-scale damage to transformers was reported in Jogindernagar, Sarkaghat and Sundernagar subdivisions.

The collapse of an under-construction tunnel on the Mandi-Pathankot highway near Mandi added to public concerns.

The tunnel was part of the highway widening project. The incident has raised serious questions about the quality and safety standards of the ongoing infrastructure development work in the region.

In light of the crisis, political leaders have stepped up efforts to monitor the situation.

Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is actively coordinating with district officials to oversee relief and rescue efforts in his home constituency of Seraj.
Dharampur subdivision worst hit

Dharampur subdivision in Mandi district, where 60 roads were totally blocked, was the worst affected
An under-construction tunnel on the Mandi-Pathankot highway near Mandi has collapsed, adding to public concerns
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur overseeing relief and rescue efforts in his home constituency of Seraj

Sudden cloudbursts on Monday night triggered flashfloods and landslides across Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, leaving four people dead and 16 missing.

Rescue operations continued on Tuesday, with 99 people evacuated from affected areas as authorities worked to trace the missing and restore blocked routes.

Of the 16 people missing, nine are from Siyanj Panchayat where two houses were swept away. Three others were washed away in Talwara village of Gohar, and four remain missing in Karsog.

Evacuees include residents and students from Palace Colony, DIET, Bada, Bassi, Kutti, Rikki villages, and Government Degree College Karsog.

The rescue operations are being carried out by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, home guards, and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

The deluge also caused widespread damage — 10 houses and 12 cowsheds were destroyed, and 26 cattle perished.

In Dharampur subdivision, landslides in Serthi and Bhadrana villages led to house collapses, prompting safety concerns.
Highway blocked, commuters stranded

Transportation has been badly hit, with key routes — including the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway — blocked at several points. Landslides near Jhalogi Tunnel, Four Miles, and Pandoh have stranded many tourists between Mandi and Aut.

Some commuters were stuck overnight inside road tunnels, prompting authorities to suspend vehicular movement from Mandi toward Kullu as a precaution.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed personnel and machinery to clear debris and restore traffic.

Pandoh and Larji dams release water amid rising inflows

The situation became critical as heavy rain in the Beas River’s upper catchment areas led to a sharp increase in inflow at Pandoh Dam. Authorities were forced to open spillway gates to manage the water levels, causing the Beas to swell downstream.

The Larji Hydro Electric Project (126 MW) in Kullu also increased its water discharge due to rising water levels and high silt content. Similar warnings have been issued to the public and tourists in the area.

Schools closed as precaution

Due to the hazardous conditions—including rain, flooding, and road blockages—District Magistrate Apoorv Devgan has ordered the closure of all schools and educational institutions in Mandi district for July 1 as a precautionary measure.

The district administration has urged residents to avoid travel in vulnerable areas and remain alert as adverse weather conditions persist.

A fresh landslide near the Vishwakarma Temple in Mandi town has once again raised questions on the effectiveness of modern rock bolting techniques used to stabilise landslide-prone areas.

The incident occurred following continuous rainfall over the past few days, leading to the collapse of a portion of the slope that was recently treated using the rock bolting technology.

In 2023, a major landslide had struck the same area, damaging few houses and posing a significant threat to the lives and property of residents living nearby.

In response, the state government had sanctioned Rs 1.65 crore for the implementation of modern rock bolting techniques to stabilise the loose strata and prevent further landslides. The Public Works Department (PWD) had awarded the contract to a private construction firm specialising in the technique.

However, despite these efforts, the recent failure has cast doubts over the quality and implementation of the stabilisation work. According to reports, one portion of the treated area gave way on Sunday morning, suggesting that the preventive measures might not have been executed effectively.

PWD Executive Engineer (XEN) DK Verma pointed to possible lapses in the preparatory work before the rock bolting was carried out.

“It appears that at the affected location, the loose earth was not removed properly before initiating the rock bolting process, which may have led to the failure,” he said.

Verma said the PWD had not yet released any payment to the construction company for the work done so far.

“We have asked the company’s engineers to visit the site within the next couple of days to assess the causes of the collapse. Their team is expected to be here by Tuesday, after which necessary corrective steps will be taken,” he added.

Several districts of the state are very likely to witness flashfloods in the next 24 hours as the state is expected to receive heavy to very heavy spells of rain in isolated places as a result of the orange weather warning that has been issued for various districts of the state.

As per the state’s Meteorological Department, very heavy to heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Solan districts and heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Hamirpur, Shimla and Kullu districts on June 30.

Meanwhile, the state witnessed very heavy to heavy rain in many parts of the state during the last 24 hours.

Jogindernagar received 130 mm rain, highest in the state followed by Paonta Sahib 120 mm, Sundernagar 100 mm, Shimla, BIlaspur and Solan received 90 mm each, Sujanpur Tira in Hamirpur 80 mm, Kangra and Mandi 50 mm each and Nahan 20 mm.

As a result of heavy rain, traffic movement on National Highway 05 was disrupted due to a landslide near Chakki Mod in Solan.

The Kalka-Shimla train was also delayed by a few hours as a result of the landslide. Machineries were deployed by the district administration to clear the road and the road was cleared for traffic movement after a few hours.

The Department has mentioned light to moderate rain is very likely to continue across the state till July 5 with one or two spells of heavy rain at isolated places on June 30.

Maximum temperatures are very likely to rise by 3°C to 5°C within the next three to four days while minimum temperatures are very likely to rise by 2°C to 4°C over many parts of the state during the next three to four days.

Shimla, the state’s capital, recorded 21.4°C maximum temperature while prominent tourist destinations Dharamsala, Manali, Dalhousie and Kasauli recorded 27°C, 24.4°C, 21°C and 23.7°C, respectively.

Maximum temperature in Solan was 26.2°C, Mandi 27.4°C, Kangra 29.2°C, Chamba 30.4°C, Bilaspur 31.2°C, Keylong 25.7°C, Kalpa 23.4°C, Kufri 19.2°C, Nahan 27.8°C, Bhuntar 29.3°C, Sundernagar 27.8°C, Narkanda 18.7°C and Reckong Peo 28°C.

With 33.5°C maximum temperature, Una was the hottest place in the state while Kukumseri village in tribal district Lahaul and Spiti was the coldest as it recorded 14.3°C minimum temperature.

Widespread rainfall, heavy to very heavy at isolated places, is likely across the state from June 28 to July 3. Isolated incidents of thunderstorm, lightning are likely over plains, low hills and mid hills from up to June 29.

The precipitation is likely to peak on June 29 as the department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Sirmaur and Solan districts and heavy rainfall at isolated places over Chamba, Kullu, Shimla and Mandi districts for the day.

Meanwhile, the state has already suffered a damage of nearly Rs 30 crore in the last one week since the monsoon has arrived in the state.

Public Works Department has suffered the maximum damage of over Rs 27 crore. Due to the rains so far, six houses have been damaged fully, while eight have suffered partial damage. Besides, seven shops and eight cow sheds have also been damaged.

Currently, 53 roads are blocked for traffic, while 135 power transformers and 147 water supply schemes are non-functional in various parts of the state.

Maximum number of roads have been affected in Kullu district (23) and Mandi (16). Similarly, the distribution transformers, too, have been affected the most in these two districts – 74 in Kullu and 59 in Mandi.

Kullu tops the list in the disruption to water schemes as well – as many as 118 schemes are currently disrupted in the district.