Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under the impact of torrential rains on Tuesday, with five people killed in house collapse incidents triggered by landslides and flash floods across multiple districts. The heavy downpour disrupted road, rail, and power networks, leaving thousands stranded.

Officials said 1,337 roads, including four national highways, were blocked, severely affecting connectivity in hilly districts. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that National Highways 3, 305, 5 and 707 were among those closed, while the Shimla-Kalka and Chandigarh-Manali routes also faced major blockages.

Fatalities across districts

In Solan district, a woman identified as Hemlata died after her house in Samloh village collapsed on Monday night. Her husband, four children, and elderly mother-in-law escaped with minor injuries.

In Kullu’s Dhalpur, a woman rescued from the rubble of a collapsed house succumbed to injuries, police confirmed.

The deadliest incident occurred in Mandi district, where a landslide near Jangam Bagh BBMB colony in Sundernagar killed three people, including a 28-year-old woman, Bharti, and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Kirtan. Another victim is yet to be identified. Officials fear more people may be trapped under the debris, with NDRF, SDRF and police engaged in rescue operations.

Orange alert issued

The local meteorological office has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kinnaur districts, and a yellow alert for Una and Bilaspur on Wednesday.

As a precaution, all educational institutions — including schools, colleges and coaching centres — have been ordered shut in Shimla, Kangra and Sirmaur. Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap said Shimla is at “high risk of landslides” according to Geological Survey of India forecasts. Online classes will continue in affected areas.

Roads, railways and villages cut off

Of the 1,337 blocked roads, the highest numbers were reported from Mandi (282), Shimla (255), Chamba (239), Kullu (205), and Sirmaur (140). In Manali, floods in the Manalsu drain cut off nine villages and obstructed the Manali-Leh route.

A landslide near Mandi’s Paddal gurdwara damaged two houses, but timely evacuation saved lives. Sixteen families in Bilaspur’s Dadwal village were also evacuated after cracks developed in their homes.

Train services on the Shimla-Kalka route were suspended after landslips and will remain cancelled till September 5.

Agriculture and pilgrimage affected

The situation has also hit the state’s apple economy, with blocked link roads preventing transport of produce to markets.

Meanwhile, nearly 5,000 pilgrims on the Manimahesh Yatra remain stranded in Chamba. Sixteen pilgrims have died since the yatra began on August 15, officials confirmed.

Monsoon toll and damages

Since the onset of monsoon on June 20, Himachal Pradesh has recorded 340 deaths due to rain-related incidents and accidents, with 41 people still missing. The SEOC said the state has suffered losses worth ₹3,523 crore so far.

This season, Himachal has witnessed 95 flash floods, 45 cloudbursts, and 121 major landslides. On Monday alone, 2,180 power transformers and 777 water supply schemes were disrupted.

Rainfall data showed Naina Devi received the highest downpour at 198.2 mm, followed by Manali (89 mm), Rohru (80 mm), Mandi (78.2 mm), Dharamshala (76.3 mm) and other districts.

Conclusion

With the death toll rising and infrastructure collapsing under the weight of extreme monsoon activity, Himachal Pradesh faces one of its toughest seasons in recent years. Rescue operations are underway, but blocked roads, stranded pilgrims, and disrupted agriculture continue to compound the crisis.