Himachal Pradesh is grappling with severe rainfall-induced disasters, with a landslide near the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi on Tuesday morning adding to a series of incidents that have claimed lives, damaged infrastructure, and led to massive disruptions across the state.
The landslide occurred near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari on the Katra shrine route, resulting in injuries to several pilgrims. Immediate rescue operations were launched, with necessary manpower and machinery deployed to assist those affected and ensure their safety. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating relief efforts to manage the emergency effectively.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of extreme weather wreaking havoc in the region. The local meteorological office has issued a 'red' alert, its highest-level warning, predicting intense to very intense rainfall in isolated places across Kangra, Chamba, and Lahaul and Spiti districts. An 'orange' alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rain, is also in effect for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi, and Kullu districts, including Shimla city.
The warnings proved prescient as torrential rains continued to batter the state. In a dramatic event in Manali (Kullu district), strong currents of the swollen Beas river washed away a multi-storey hotel and four shops in the early hours of Tuesday. The gushing waters inundated the Alu ground and blocked the strategic Manali-Leh highway at several points. Similar flash floods were reported in Kanvi, Kinnaur district, and from Ghanvi Khud in Kullu, where water entered residential houses.
Mandi district witnessed a close call when two buildings housing approximately 40 shops collapsed in the Balichowki area late Monday night. Officials confirmed no casualties as the structure had been vacated earlier after being deemed dangerous.
Preemptive Measures and Widespread Impact
In response to the imminent threat, district administrations in Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, and Kullu ordered the closure of all educational institutions on Monday evening. The Shimla district administration followed suit on Tuesday morning, citing continuous rain since Monday that triggered landslides and uprooted trees, leading to widespread road closures.
"The meteorological department has forecast more heavy rain during the next 24 hours. Therefore, considering the safety of the students, educational institutions will remain closed," said Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap in an official order.
The scale of the disruption is immense. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a staggering 795 roads were closed across Himachal as of Monday night. The worst-hit districts are Mandi (289 roads closed), Chamba (214), and Kullu (132). Critical national highways, including NH-3 (Mandi-Dharampur) and NH-305 (Aut-Sainj), are also shut. Essential services have been severely hit, with approximately 956 power transformers and 517 water supply schemes disrupted.
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