Kangana Ranaut visits flood-hit Mandi, says PM Modi is abroad but closely monitoring relief efforts

MP Kangana Ranaut with Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur. (Video grab: ANI)

BJP from Mandi and actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, alongside former CM Jairam Thakur, visited severely flood‑hit areas in Mandi’s Thunag subdivision on Sunday, interacting with affected residents and overseeing relief operations.

This comes as cloudbursts and flash floods, triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall, have wreaked havoc across the district, washing away bridges, damaging homes, and cutting off several roads.

Ranaut said the central government had responded swiftly to the crisis. “The central government provided immediate relief operations by sending in the forces. At the local level, we ensured that relief material reached affected families,” she told ANI.

She emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though currently on a foreign tour, was fully updated on the situation. “Even though the Prime Minister is abroad, he is informed of what is happening here, and the central government has swung into action,” she added.

“As an MP, it is my responsibility to bring in funds and convey the ground reality to the government so that appropriate support is extended,” she said.

Official figures report that 1,317 food kits have been distributed across Mandi, including 197 in Thunag, 69 in Janjehli, and 1,000 in Bagsaid, while additional packets are also being dispatched.

VIDEO | Himachal Pradesh cloudburst: BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) says, “We will make all the efforts to help people. People have been misplaced and have lost their belongings… It’s the duty of the state government to do the work, whether they send the Army,… pic.twitter.com/6nQn8Nt37x

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 6, 2025

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducts aerial survey of flood-hit regions

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected regions of Mandi, Kullu, and parts of Kangra district. Several rivers in the region, including the Beas, have been flowing above danger marks due to continuous rainfall and cloudbursts over the past 48 hours.

He reviewed the scale of destruction and ongoing relief efforts being carried out by the state and central forces. Over 170 roads remain blocked in Mandi, and the estimated damage statewide is pegged at over Rs 560 crore.

Rescue operations continue in affected regions, where homes, orchards, and key bridges have been washed away. According to official figures, the monsoon has claimed 74 lives in the state so far, while around 30 people remain missing.

Red alert in Himachal Pradesh

The local MeT office has issued a ‘red’ alert for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Kangra, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts on Sunday, July 6. It has also warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of five districts—Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur—over the next 24 hours.

Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and avoid riverbanks or landslide-prone zones as weather conditions remain dangerous.