Himachal rain disrupts life: 259 roads blocked; Mandi, Kullu worst hit

Over the past 24 hours, Himachal Pradesh experienced light to moderate rain, with isolated areas seeing heavy showers. This weather disruption left 259 roads blocked, affecting daily life significantly. The State Emergency Operations Centre reported that 161 transformers and 54 water supply schemes were also impacted by the weather.

Mandi district bore the brunt of the disruption, with three national highways, including the Manali highway, blocked, cutting off road connectivity between Mandi and Kullu. Traffic on the Manali highway was partially restored in the afternoon, but landslides continued to hinder traffic movement. Chamba, with 42 blocked roads, and Kullu, with 40, followed Mandi as the most affected districts.

In response to the adverse weather, educational institutions in Kullu district were closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. While schools, colleges, anganwadi centers, ITIs, polytechnics, engineering and pharmacy colleges remained shut, board examinations proceeded as planned. Shimla faced 30 blocked roads, followed by Sirmaur with 15, Kangra with five, Una with four, Lahaul-Spiti with two, and Kinnaur with one.

In Kullu, a vehicle was buried under boulders near Barad on National Highway-305, injuring two occupants, Abdul Rahman and Param Thakur, who were taken to a hospital in Shimla. A landslide in Shimla's Sanjauli cemetery area damaged several parked two-wheelers late Monday night. The Meteorological Department predicts light to moderate rain across most areas on August 12, 14, 15, and 16, with heavy to very heavy rain possible at isolated locations on August 11, 14, and 16.

Kangra and Mandi districts remain at risk of heavy rainfall, with warnings of landslides, flash floods, and waterlogging in several regions.