Cloudburst Hits Himachal: Manali-Leh Road Closed, Two Houses Washed Away in Palchan

Manali: A cloudburst in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, has triggered severe flooding in the region. The intense rainfall led to the rapid inundation of areas, causing the closure of the Manali-Leh road and significant damage to infrastructure. A bridge and a power project in the affected area sustained substantial damage due to the floodwaters.

In Palchan, the flooding was particularly devastating, resulting in the destruction of two houses that were washed away by the torrent. No casualties have been reported thus far.

Relief and rescue operations are currently underway, with teams working to address the damage and assist those affected by the severe weather event. Efforts are focused on providing immediate aid and assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the cloudburst.

Earlier on Wednesday, 15 roads across Himachal Pradesh were closed for vehicular traffic, including 12 in Mandi, two in Kinnaur, and one in Kangra district. The state emergency operation center reported that 62 transformers have been disrupted as a result of the severe weather.

The weather office has issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain at isolated locations through July 28, warning of potential damage to plantations, standing crops, vulnerable structures, and 'kutcha' houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Intermittent rain has affected various parts of the state, with Baijnath receiving 85 mm of rainfall since Tuesday evening. Other areas include Palampur (25.2 mm), Jogindernagar (18 mm), Dharamshala (10.4 mm), Hamirpur (8 mm), Poanta Sahib (7.6 mm), Sainj and Kahu (7.5 mm each), Kasauli (7.4 mm), and Shimla (5.6 mm).

So far, 49 fatalities have been reported due to rain-related incidents, and the ongoing monsoon season has resulted in losses estimated at approximately Rs 389 crore. Kukumseri in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recorded the coldest temperature at 10.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, while Una was the hottest at 36.4 degrees Celsius during the day.