Heavy rain and multiple landslides have wreaked havoc across Himachal Pradesh, blocking over 600 roads, stranding tourists for hours, and forcing the suspension of the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra.
Over five landslides between Mandi and Manali have blocked the Chandigarh–Manali National Highway (NH 21), leaving people travelling to Kullu and Manali stranded for more than 12 hours. Many spent the night in their vehicles, NDTV reported.
The local administration is working to open a single lane for lighter vehicles until roads are cleared.
A man from Uttar Pradesh, stuck since 4 am en route to Manali, told NDTV, “We are waiting. Depending on the situation, we will decide if we want to move ahead or take a U-turn as nothing is bigger than life.”
A businessman from Ambala, who visits Kullu for work, said his truck was halted around 7:30 pm due to a blockage.
“It is only since the start of monsoon, that is June 20, we have been facing issues in commuting. But we have to go for business,” he said. Another businessman added, “The road is likely to clear by 3 pm. Let us see.”
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 617 roads, including four national highways — NH 21, NH 05, NH 3, and NH 305 — were cut off on Wednesday. Of these, 377 are in Mandi district and 90 in Kullu district.
The Shimla–Kalka National Highway, blocked at Chakki Mor in Solan, has been reopened.
Commuters faced traffic snarls in several places. Schools, colleges, and anganwadis were closed in multiple subdivisions of Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, and Solan districts. Some Shimla city schools switched to online classes.
Pilgrims rescued, yatra suspended
In Kinnaur, over 400 pilgrims were rescued from the Kinnaur Kailash trek after two makeshift bridges were washed away following cloudbursts and heavy rain. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) led the rescue, evacuating pilgrims to Milling Khata and Gufa, where arrangements for their safety were made.
Officials said bridges at Tanglippi and Kangarang were washed away due to increased water flow, making trekking paths slippery or landslide-hit.
The district administration ordered the suspension of the yatra until further notice.
Kinnaur Kailash lies at an altitude of 19,850 feet. The yatra, which began on July 15, was to run until August 30.
Kasauli recorded 145 mm of rain since Tuesday night, followed by Dharampur (122.8 mm), Gohar (120 mm), and Malraon (103.2 mm), according to the meteorological centre.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said Himachal Pradesh has reported 194 deaths this monsoon season (June 20–August 5) and incurred losses exceeding Rs 1,852 crore. Damage to private property is estimated at Rs 97,129.91 lakh, while public property losses total Rs 63,341.15 lakh.
Since the onset of monsoon, the state has seen 55 flash floods, 28 cloudbursts, and 48 major landslides. Around 1,738 houses have been fully or partially damaged, 446 roads remain blocked, 1,491 power transformers are down, and 265 water supply schemes are disrupted.
The Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) has warned of water supply disruptions for the next two to three days due to high turbidity at the source.
