Wednesday, 30 July 2025
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
Flash flood triggered by cloud burst wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town on Monday night, killing three people, burying more than 20 vehicles and inundating several houses, officials said on Tuesday.
Mandi received 198.6 mm of rain since Monday evening. The fury of rain was so intense that gushing waters in Sukati nallahs (drains) flowing through the city swept huge mounds of debris which entered several locations in about five-kilometer radius and the worst affected was Jail Road, Saini Mohalla and Zonal hospital area.
"Three people died, one sustained injuries while one woman is missing, Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Apoorva Devgan told PTI on Tuesday, adding that rescue operations are in full swing and about 15-20 people have been rescued.
The three deceased included a mother and son. The deceased were identified as Balbir Singh, son of Krishan Singh, Amarpreet Singh and his mother Sapna, son and wife of Darshan Singh, who also sustained injuries and is admitted to Mandi Zonal Hospital, an official said.
MP Kangana Ranaut expressed her grief at the situation and said that she is constantly in touch with the authorities, and rescue operations are going on at pace to help those stuck in the floods.
"The torrential rains that struck Mandi city last night have caused massive devastation and pain. We have lost two precious lives, and some citizens are still missing. My heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families. Several vehicles have been buried under debris, and many homes have suffered extensive damage. These heartbreaking circumstances have shaken the entire region," she wrote on X.
"I am in constant touch with the administration — relief and rescue operations are underway on priority," the Mandi MP assured.
On July 7, taking to her social media handle, the actress shared some pictures and expressed how disheartening the site was. She also promised that she would look into the matter and would brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the current situation in Himachal.
A relief camp has been set up at Vipasha Sadan as several houses have been damaged and some people have shifted to safer places and taken shelter at homes of their friends and relatives, he said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and home guard have been pressed into rescue operations, while teams of the Public Works Department, Electricity and the Jal Shakti Department are also on the field to clear roads and restore power supply, the DC added.
Extensive damages have been caused to houses, vehicles and private property and the detailed assessment of losses is underway, officials maintained.
Meanwhile, schools, colleges and anganwadi centres were closed on Tuesday in Mandi Sadar subdivision following closure of several roads due to landslides and flash floods, officials said.
Videos of debris scattering all around the residential colonies, buried vehicles, debris and gushing waters entering houses and people engaged in rescue work have gone viral on the internet.
A total of 269 roads, including 177 roads and three national Highways are blocked in the disaster-hit Mandi district and 649 power distribution transformers and 98 water supply schemes have also been affected across the state as on Tuesday morning, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway (21) has been at several places between Mandi and Kullu at 4 Mile, 9 Mile and Dwada as the road stretches have been washed away while Mandi'Jogindernagar road (NH 154) and Mandi ' Kotali road NH 70 are also closed for vehicular traffic.
Inconvenience was caused to a large number of tourists, who were stranded between Mandi and Manali on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway.
The fresh disaster adding to the woes of the people and the administration came after a month of monsoon mayhem in the Mandi district in which 15 people died in Seraj, Nachan, Dharampur and Karsog Assembly constituencies on the night of June 30-July 1.
Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, local MLA Anil Sharma and DC Mandi were on the spot. Thakur said that this year massive devastation has been caused in Mandi due to heavy rains.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over the loss of three lives in Mandi town, and said that the district administration has been directed to provide all possible assistance to the affected families, a statement issued here said.
Moderate to very heavy rains lashed several parts of the state, and Mandi received 198.6 mm of rain since Monday evening followed by Pandoh 124 mm, Kataula 89.1 mm, Dehra Gopipur 74 mm, Berthin 72.4 mm, Nadaun and Una 72 mm each, Gohar and Sujanpur Tira 66 mm, Kahu 59.4 mm, Raipur Maidan 55.6 mm, Neri 54.5 mm, Malraon 52 mm and Amb 50 mm.
The administration has warned people not to go near river Beas and its tributaries as they are flowing around the danger mark.
The Local Met office had issued an 'orange alert' of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Tuesday.
It also issued yellow warning of heavy rains at isolated places in Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday, and Una, Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Wednesday.
Since the onset of monsoon in the state on June 20 till the evening of July 28, Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1523 crore. So far 90 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents and 1320 houses have been fully or partially damaged in the state.
