Cloudbursts ravage Himachal's Mandi, Kullu; over 200 roads blocked, schools shut

Torrential rains and multiple cloudbursts have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and Kullu districts, causing widespread destruction, road blockages, flash floods, and severe disruption to essential services.

In Mandi district, the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway, a crucial regional link, has been completely blocked due to a massive landslide at Dwada. Traffic between Mandi and Kullu has come to a halt, with even the alternative route via Kataula rendered unusable by landslides.

Over 200 roads in Mandi have remained blocked for the past three days, paralysing transportation and causing major inconvenience. Local farmers are among the worst affected, unable to transport their agricultural and horticultural produce to markets. As a result, perishable goods are reportedly rotting, leading to heavy economic losses for the farming community.

In a separate incident, a cloudburst struck Swad village in the Chauhar Valley of Mandi district, triggering a sudden rise in a local stream’s water level. Farmlands and two fish farms were washed away, and several houses sustained damage. No casualties were reported, as residents managed to evacuate to safer areas in time despite the incident occurring around midnight.

As a precaution, SDM Padhar Surjeet Thakur ordered the closure of all private and government educational institutions under the Padhar subdivision.

In Kullu district, another cloudburst occurred around 2:30 am in the mountainous region above Kanoun village in Lag Valley, causing a devastating flash flood. The deluge swept away three shops, destroyed a bridge over the Boobu stream, and severely damaged orchards, farmlands, and homes.

Huge boulders and debris have blocked roads, cutting off villages and severely impacting mobility and communication.

In response to the crisis, the Kullu district administration has ordered the closure of schools and colleges in the Banjar and Kullu Sadar areas. Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh issued the directive, citing multiple reports of cloudbursts, landslides, flash floods, and structural damage.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for August 19 in Kullu, warning of continued heavy rainfall and the risk of more flash floods and landslides.

Emergency services remain on high alert, and restoration efforts are underway. However, officials warn that it could take several days to fully reopen blocked roads and restore normalcy.