Rains paralyse Kangra district

Unprecedented rainfall over the past 48 hours has crippled life across Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. Continuous heavy showers have unleashed widespread landslides and flash floods, blocking major highways and cutting off several villages.

Key transport corridors, including the Pathankot-Mandi, Kangra-Shimla and Palampur-Hamirpur highways, have suffered severe damage. The Palampur-Kangra-Una route remains blocked near Purana Kangra, while the Palampur-Mandi-Manali stretch is impassable. Landslides near Alampur and Thural have forced closure of the Palampur-Hamirpur highway. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed heavy machinery to clear debris and restore connectivity.

In Jaisinghpur, the administration has issued a high alert after the Beas river rose dangerously above the danger mark. Authorities have warned residents to stay away from the riverbed, as floodwaters from Tirthan valley—hit by a cloudburst yesterday—have begun arriving. With Pong Dam crossing its “safety mark,” the BBMB is preparing to release excess water this evening.

Tourism has been badly hit. The Bir–Barot road is closed, with access to Billing, Rajgundha, Barot, and Chhota Bhangal’s interior villages suspended.