Himachal floods fury: Beas river sweeps away buildings, highways vanish | Video

The Leh–Manali Highway is closed for all traffic until further notice, with sections between Kullu and Manali washed away.

Himachal Pradesh is reeling under the impact of incessant heavy rain that triggered flash floods, overflowing rivers, and landslides across multiple districts. In Manali, the River Beas surged beyond danger levels, sweeping away shops, houses, and even multi-storey structures, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

On Tuesday, the raging Beas currents washed away a multi-storey hotel and four shops in the heart of Manali. With the river in spate, waters entered Alu Ground, while stretches of the Manali-Leh highway were completely blocked. Officials said hundreds of residents are stranded across several locations, cut off from power and connectivity.

#WATCH | Manali, Himachal Pradesh | A portion of the Chandigarh-Manali Highway was washed away as the Beas River flows in spate.

Source: Kullu police pic.twitter.com/QNTc9QOXrP — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2025

The situation turned grim in Bahang near Manali, where a two-storey building was reduced to rubble by floodwaters. Two restaurants and two more shops also collapsed. Authorities confirmed significant structural damage in several pockets, though no casualties have been reported so far.

Beas River poses a threat to riverside homes in Ramshila and Akhara Bazaar areas of Kullu district,Himachal Pradesh. Video Courtesy - News Call Himachal pic.twitter.com/Y0FMXfG4ek — Naveen Reddy (@navin_ankampali) August 26, 2025

The Manali-Leh highway has now been completely shut for all traffic movement until further notice. Large sections of the route connecting Kullu and Manali have been eroded, making restoration work a massive challenge.

VIDEO | Manali, Himachal Pradesh: A pick-up van was swept away as raging river triggered a landslide damaging the road. (Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/ia93w7Jquh

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 26, 2025

Water gushed into multiple homes in Patlikuhal after the Beas River swelled suddenly. A fish farm and a factory in the area were submerged, with the raging waters sweeping away goods from the block factory, which were later spotted floating downstream. Overflowing streams such as Ghanvi Khud also entered residential areas in Kullu, further compounding the damage.

Relentless rainfall overnight worsened the situation in low-lying areas as the Beas breached its banks, leaving several towns inundated.

Elsewhere, Mandi witnessed the collapse of two buildings that housed nearly 40 shops. There were no injuries as the premises had been declared unsafe earlier and vacated. Flash floods also hit Kanvi village in Kinnaur district.

In Shimla, authorities ordered the closure of all government and private schools on Tuesday after continuous downpours since Monday triggered landslides, uprooted trees, and blocked roads across the district.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Kangra, Chamba, and Lahaul-Spiti districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert has been sounded for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla, cautioning residents about intense showers.

#WATCH | Mandi, Himachal Pradesh | Drone visuals of the Beas River. The water level is on the rise due to incessant rainfall. The IMD has issued a Red Alert for Chamba, Kangra and Mandi for two days pic.twitter.com/LxRNfEGNz1 — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2025

This monsoon season has proved catastrophic for Himachal Pradesh. Since June 20, the state has reported multiple deaths caused by flash floods, landslides, and drowning incidents. Disruptions in roads, electricity supply, and water services have further crippled normal life.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), 156 lives have been lost to rain-related disasters between June 20 and August 25, while 38 individuals remain missing.

Neighboring Himalayan states are also bearing the brunt of heavy rains. In Jammu and Kashmir, a massive landslide in Katra led to the suspension of the Mata Vaishno Devi yatra in Reasi district, adding to the woes of pilgrims and locals alike.