Himachal Pradesh is battling heavy rainfall as the monsoon intensified across India on Sunday, leading to widespread damage, loss of life, and infrastructure disruption.
In a dramatic incident early Monday, a five-storey building collapsed in Bhattakufar, Shimla. Fortunately, there were no casualties as the building had been evacuated on Sunday night following a red alert issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Cracks had reportedly developed in the structure due to ongoing construction of a four-lane road nearby.
शिमला : भट्टाकुफर में भारी बारिश के चलते सुबह 5 मंजिला मकान गिरा – बीती रात ही खाली करवाया गया था मकान – फोरलेन निर्माण के चलते मकान में आई थी दरारें।#Shimla #Bhattakufar #MonsoonAlert #DDNewsHimachal pic.twitter.com/4DKWgErN8J
— DD News Himachal (@DDNewsHimachal) June 30, 2025
A chilling video shared by DD News Himachal showed the building toppling amid continuous rainfall, highlighting the precarious conditions in the area.
3 Dead, 129 Roads Closed
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), three rain-related deaths occurred in the last 24 hours—one each in Una, Bilaspur, and Shimla, raising the monsoon death toll to 20 since June 20. Four people are still reported missing.
Due to heavy rainfall, 129 roads have been closed, with Sirmaur (57 roads) and Mandi (44 roads) suffering the worst damage. 612 transformers were reported disrupted, impacting power supply in several areas.
Flash Flood Alerts in 10 Districts
The IMD has issued moderate to high flash-flood warnings for Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, and Chamba. Rising river levels, particularly in Juni Khad and Beas rivers, have prompted officials to warn residents to stay away from riverbanks.
Flushing at Larji Dam led to the opening of all five spillway gates at Pandoh Dam, pushing Beas river’s discharge to 44,000 cusecs. This forced a temporary halt to power generation at the Dehar Power House.
Industrial Damage and Flooded Homes in Solan
In Solan district, a bridge near the Himuda Complex in Barotiwala was washed away. Roads leading to Mandhala and Bagguwala were blocked. In Baddi, the Bald river overflowed dangerously near Jhadmajri, flooding over 20 homes in Shivalik Nagar, with water rising up to four feet. Locals attributed the flooding to inadequate drainage systems.
Schools Closed in Rain-Affected Districts
Due to the IMD red alert, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed district administrations in Kangra, Mandi, Solan, and Sirmaur to shut all schools on Monday, June 30.
In Mandi, DC Apoorva Devgan declared a holiday for schools, colleges, and anganwadi centres, excluding IIT Mandi and medical institutions. Similarly, Kangra DC Hemraj Bairwa closed all non-residential schools.
Rail Disruption on Shimla-Kalka Route
The famous Shimla-Kalka heritage rail service was suspended after boulders and trees blocked the tracks near Koti in Solan. The first train of the day was stuck at Koti, while others were halted at Gumman and Kalka.
As the monsoon rains continue to batter Himachal Pradesh, authorities are maintaining high alert across districts, prioritising rescue, relief, and restoration operations.