Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc In Mandi: 31 Missing, 169 Roads Blocked

Continuous heavy rain has caused serious problems across Himachal Pradesh, with Mandi district hit the hardest. Landslides, flash floods, and damaged roads have brought the region to a standstill. Over 260 roads are blocked, including 176 in Mandi alone, officials said on Saturday.

Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan gave an update on the situation: “The main road in Thunag is now open for vehicles. Some supply trucks have reached, and we’re also using mules to carry food and essentials to cut-off areas. Sadly, 31 people are still missing, and we haven’t found anyone yet. Around 250 rescue workers from SDRF and NDRF are on the ground, but the rough terrain is making things very difficult.”

The weather office has warned that more rain is on the way. A red alert has been issued for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Mandi, Kangra, and Sirmaur districts on Sunday. The warning means there is a high chance of dangerous weather.

5 Districts At High Alert

There’s also a risk of flash floods in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur over the next 24 hours.

An orange warning has been given for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla, and Kullu districts, where heavy to very heavy rain is expected on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Some areas are already seeing heavy rainfall: Jogindernagar received 52 mm, while Nahan and Palampur got 28.8 mm each. Other areas like Una, Paonta Sahib, Berthin, and Kangra have also reported steady rainfall.

Since the monsoon began on June 20, 72 people have died in the state. 45 of these deaths were caused by rain-related events like landslides, cloudbursts, and floods. Mandi district has seen the most destruction, with 10 major incidents on Tuesday alone, which killed 14 people.

The State Emergency Operation Centre says the total damage so far is about ₹541 crore, but Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu believes it could go up to ₹700 crore, as reports are still coming in. Power and water services have also been hit hard, with 300 transformers and 281 water supply systems affected.

People are being told to stay away from rivers, hillsides, and unsafe buildings. The weather department has warned of more landslides, floods, and damage to homes and farms if the rain continues.

Last year, the monsoon killed over 550 people in Himachal. Now, with the rain showing no signs of stopping, people are left wondering: