Heavy downpour in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district triggered landslides and flash floods on Sunday, causing widespread damage in several areas, including Panarsa, Takoli, and Nagwain. Debris entered multiple houses, leaving residents scrambling for safety.

Authorities confirmed that there has been no loss of life reported so far. However, rescue operations are currently underway across affected locations. Teams have been deployed to assist residents, and people have been advised to stay away from rivers and streams, many of which are swollen due to the torrential rainfall.

The Kiratpur-Manali four-lane National Highway was blocked due to waterlogging, severely disrupting travel between major towns. A major landslide near the Jogni Mata Temple has also brought traffic to a standstill in the area, causing further inconvenience to commuters and tourists.

In another incident, a flash flood triggered by the overflowing Shalanal stream led to the collapse of a private office’s boundary wall. Fortunately, all employees present managed to escape unhurt. Several nearby homes sustained heavy damage from floodwaters and debris.

During the past 24 hours, the state has witnessed heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places and light to moderate rainfall at most locations. The Kataula village in the Mandi district recorded the highest rainfall at 120 mm, followed by Kangra 110.8 mm, Nahan 103 mm, Paonta Sahib 69.8 mm, Bhuntar 63.3 mm, Palampur 60.4 mm, Mandi 26 mm, Dharamshala 20.6 mm, Bilaspur 10.4 mm, Manali 8 mm, Kufri 4 mm, Sundernagar 2 mm and Shimla 1 mm.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy rainfall in the state, and has issued a ‘yellow’ weather warning for August 18, 21, 22, and 23.

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With agency inputs