Himachal: Nearly 100 Dead In Monsoon Fury, Jai Ram Thakur Dodges Falling Debris In Seraj

The monsoon has battered Himachal Pradesh since 20 June, claiming 98 lives and causing an estimated ₹770.96 crore in losses, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). Rain-related incidents—including landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, electrocution and other accidents—have killed 57 people, while another 41 have died in weather-linked road crashes on treacherous mountain routes. Mandi district is the worst hit, recording 21 fatalities, followed by Kangra (14), Kullu (10), Chamba (9) and Hamirpur (8).

The disaster has also taken a heavy toll on livelihoods: 22,454 poultry birds and 954 domestic animals have perished, while more than 375 houses have been damaged or destroyed. Public works, water supply, power, education, health, fisheries and urban infrastructure have all suffered extensive harm.

A viral video showed Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur dodging falling debris while walking through the disaster-hit Seraj constituency he represents.

Watch | बाल-बाल बचे जयराम ठाकुर, मंडी दौरे के दौरान अचानक हुआ लैंडस्लाइड @awdheshkmishra | https://t.co/smwhXUROiK #abpreport #jairamthakur #landslide #himachalpradesh pic.twitter.com/8GhjGKIOSe

— ABP News (@ABPNews) July 13, 2025

One-Way Traffic Restored on Chandigarh–Manali Highway

A major landslide on Saturday forced an overnight closure of the Mandi–Kullu stretch of the Chandigarh–Manali National Highway near 4 Mile. Officials told news agency PTI the route reopened to one-way traffic on Sunday evening after more than 24 hours, but heavy vehicles remain restricted to Nagchala and Jhiri.

“Intermittent rains created hurdles in restoration work as debris kept falling from the hills,” authorities said, urging motorists to travel only when essential and to opt for alternative routes via Chailchowk–Gohar–Pandoh or Kamand–Kataula–Bajaura.

Over 190 Roads Still Shut, Power and Water Hit

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported 196 blocked roads on Sunday evening, 153 of them in hard-hit Mandi district. Landslides have also disrupted 73 power distribution transformers and 787 water-supply schemes.

Although emergency crews have patched vital water and sewerage lines in Kullu and Mandi, access to several remote hamlets remains cut off. Authorities have set up multiple relief camps and advised residents and tourists alike to avoid vulnerable slopes as further rain is forecast.

‘Yellow’ Warning For Heavy Showers Across 10 Himachal Districts

The local Met office has issued an ‘orange’ alert for heavy to very heavy rain at isolated spots in Kangra and Sirmaur today, with a ‘yellow’ warning for heavy showers across up to ten of the state’s twelve districts through Thursday (17 July).

Light to moderate downpours have already drenched parts of the state: Shimla logged 25.3 mm of rain in 24 hours, Kufri 24 mm and Narkanda 10 mm. Keylong was the coolest overnight at 11 °C, while Bilaspur sizzled at 34.7 °C during the day.

Meanwhile, rescue teams are still searching for 27 people swept away during a spate of ten cloudbursts and flash floods in Mandi on the night of 30 June–1 July that left 15 dead. 

With the monsoon far from over, the SDMA and SEOC have appealed to the public to remain on high alert, postpone non-essential travel and heed official advisories. “More rainfall is forecast in the region,” the SEOC cautioned, “and conditions on hilly roads can change rapidly.”