Himachal Pradesh faced widespread disruption on Wednesday as cloudbursts and flash floods wreaked havoc across Kullu, Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti districts, damaging homes, roads and bridges while displacing residents in low-lying areas.
Kalka-Shimla Highway has been shut down due to cloudbursts and flash floods in the adjoining areas.
In Kullu, two separate cloudbursts triggered flash floods, submerging villages and sweeping away vehicles. The first struck near Bheemdwari in the Shrikhand Mahadev mountains, sending torrents through the Kurpan rivulet and forcing the evacuation of Bagipul Bazaar in Nirmand sub-division.
Hours later, another cloudburst hit above Batahar village in Banjar sub-division, destroying three vehicles, four cottages and swathes of agricultural land. The surge raised water levels in the Tirthan river, prompting preemptive evacuations downstream.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh confirmed no fatalities but acknowledged property damage. "Areas downstream were evacuated immediately in both Bagipul and Batahar," he stated, as reported by TOI.
Flash floods ravaged Dhodhan, Changut, Udgos and Karpat villages in Lahaul-Spiti, with debris and boulders crashing into homes. In Karpat, floodwaters came within feet of houses, partially damaging several structures.
Local MLA Anuradha Rana announced school closures in Miyar valley and confirmed no casualties. "All villagers are in safe locations. There are reports that the Changut and Udgos bridges have been washed away. The administration and departments have been instructed to visit the site in the morning and assess the situation," she stated in a social media post.
In Shimla’s Rampur sub-division, a cloudburst near Nanti village destroyed two bridges, shops, and a police outpost downstream of Ganvi, severing road connectivity. Power outages and waterlogged homes forced evacuations, while a bus and ambulance were stranded after the Ganvi rivulet swelled.
Meanwhile, Mandi district reported a tragic drowning after Puran Chand, a Bhanwas village resident, slipped from a temporary bridge in Jarol. Locals formed a human chain to retrieve him, but he was declared dead at Janjehli hospital. Residents demanded a permanent bridge to prevent future accidents.
Himachal Pradesh’s State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reported 323 blocked roads, 179 in Mandi alone, alongside disruptions to 130 water supply schemes and 79 transformers. TOI noted that recovery efforts are underway as officials brace for further weather challenges.
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