Red Alert In Himachal Pradesh | Death Toll, Damage And More Updates: Himachal Pradesh is reeling under intense monsoon rains as the season becomes active across India. In the last 24 hours, three people lost their lives in rain-related incidents, while a five-storey residential building in Shimla’s Bhattakufar area collapsed early Monday morning. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as the structure had been vacated the night before following a red alert issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
According to DD News Himachal, the building had developed cracks due to ongoing road construction nearby. A viral video of the collapse shows the structure suddenly giving way amid relentless rainfall, highlighting the vulnerability of hillside constructions.
Red Alert In Himachal Roads Blocked, Power Disrupted, Flash Flood Alert Across 10 Districts
As per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a total of 129 roads have been closed due to landslides and flooding, with Sirmaur (57 roads) and Mandi (44 roads) being the worst affected. Power supply across the state also took a hit, with 612 transformers out of operation. The cumulative death toll since the start of the monsoon on June 20 has now reached 20, with four individuals still missing.
Flash flood warnings have been issued for 10 districts, including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, and Chamba. In Mandi, the Juni Khad and Beas rivers are in spate, prompting local authorities to caution residents to stay away from riverbanks. With all five spillway gates of the Pandoh Dam open and water discharge reaching 44,000 cusecs, power generation at Dehar Power House has been temporarily suspended.
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Schools Closed, Rail Services Suspended Amid Monsoon Mayhem
As a precautionary measure, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed deputy commissioners in Kangra, Mandi, Solan, and Sirmaur to close all schools on June 30. In Mandi, District Commissioner Apoorva Devgan extended the closure to colleges and anganwadi centres, except key medical and technical institutions like IIT Mandi and the Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College. Similar directives were issued in Kangra.
Meanwhile, services on the Shimla-Kalka heritage rail line were disrupted after boulders and trees fell onto the tracks near Solan’s Koti area. The first train of the day was stranded at Koti station, and others were halted at Gumman and Kalka, affecting local connectivity.
Industrial Disruption and Urban Flooding Add to Woes
In Solan’s Barotiwala industrial area, a bridge near the Himuda Complex was washed away, disrupting access to Mandhala and Bagguwala. Baddi’s Bald river rose to alarming levels near Jhadmajri, flooding more than 20 homes in Shivalik Nagar. Water levels reached up to four feet, and locals blamed chronic drainage issues, stating that authorities had been alerted multiple times in the past.
