Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 1 (HBTV): Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc across Himachal Pradesh, severely disrupting daily life and damaging public infrastructure.
According to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA), a total of 259 roads remained blocked, while 614 power distribution transformers (DTRs) and 130 water supply schemes were disrupted across the state due to incessant rainfall over the past 24 hours.
'The monsoon is intensifying its grip, and the impact is visible across multiple districts. Roads, power lines, and water systems are all severely affected,' said an official from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), adding that field teams were working round the clock to restore connectivity and essential services.
Mandi district was the worst affected, with 139 roads blocked and 314 transformers out of service, mostly in Gohar (199), Mandi II (79), and J Nagar (18).
In Sirmaur, 92 water supply schemes were disrupted, including 19 in Nohradhar and 16 in Pachhad. Kullu reported 20 blocked roads and 47 disrupted water schemes, particularly in the Kullu, Largi, and Anni sub-divisions. Lahaul and Spiti saw the highest single-point transformer disruption, with 139 DTRs down in Spiti alone.
HPSDMA clarified that no national highways were blocked, allowing emergency movement and logistics support to continue. Local authorities are actively engaged in clearing landslides and restoring damaged transformers and pipelines.
'Our top priority is restoring access and utilities in the worst-hit areas like Mandi, Sirmaur, and Kullu. Repair teams are being deployed with urgency,' said an official from the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management.
Residents have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in hilly and vulnerable regions, and to stay updated through official weather and disaster alerts.
Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations.
Speaking to ANI, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at the IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Shimla, detailed recent rainfall data and forecasts. 'Over the past 24 hours, most regions of Himachal Pradesh recorded moderate rainfall. However, isolated locations in districts such as Mandi, Kangra, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Hamirpur, and Chamba experienced heavy showers,' Sharma said.
He added, 'The highest rainfall was recorded in Pandoh (Mandi district) at 130 mm, followed by Mandi town at 120 mm, Sunni in Shimla at 113 mm, and Palampur at 80 mm.'
Sharma warned of continued intense rainfall in the short term. 'We are expecting light to moderate rainfall across most parts of the state. However, heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated locations in Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla, which is why an orange alert has been issued in these districts,' he said.
(ANI)