Punjab Newsline | Shimla
The onset of the southwest monsoon has unleashed heavy rainfall and widespread devastation across Himachal Pradesh, with cloudbursts, landslides and flash floods disrupting normal life in several districts. Amid weather alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), two cloudbursts were reported in Lahaul-Spiti and one in Chamba on Wednesday, causing extensive damage to roads, crops and infrastructure.
A woman lost her life in Mandi district after being struck by rocks that rolled down a hillside during heavy rain. Rivers and seasonal streams across the state are in spate, raising the risk of further flooding and landslides.
Lahaul-Spiti witnessed two cloudbursts on Tuesday night. In Jispa, a cloudburst triggered flash flooding in a local stream, bringing debris onto the Manali-Leh National Highway and forcing authorities to close the route. The Tandi-Sansari road was also shut for traffic due to landslides and debris accumulation.
Another cloudburst in Padak village of Pattan Valley caused flash floods that severely damaged standing crops and disrupted the Rewaling link road.
In Chamba district, a cloudburst in Kiri Panchayat near Saho damaged apple orchards and washed away nearly 500 metres of the Kiri-Banjal road near Jungli Nallah. Three pedestrian bridges near Kainchi Mor were also swept away by the swollen waters.
The IMD has issued an Orange Alert for heavy rainfall in Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts for July 2 and 3, while the remaining districts remain under a Yellow Alert. Rainfall activity is expected to ease slightly on July 4, but Orange and Yellow alerts have again been issued for July 5 and 6. The weather department has forecast unsettled weather across the state until July 7.
The heavy monsoon showers have also led to exceptionally high rainfall figures. Chamba recorded 544 per cent above-normal rainfall in the past 24 hours. However, some areas received little or no rain, leading to humid conditions. Una recorded the state's highest maximum temperature at 32°C.
In a separate incident, a 21-year-old tourist from Punjab drowned while bathing in a stream at Jainala in Kullu district's Parvati Valley. The deceased, identified as Ansh Teji, a resident of Kapurthala, had reportedly travelled to Kasol and Manikaran with friends. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
