10 pilgrims dead, eight missing, 6,000 devotees evacuated amid Manimahesh Yatra disaster
CHANDIGARH: Ten pilgrims have died, and eight are missing in the ongoing Manimahesh Yatra, which was suspended on Monday due to heavy rains, landslides, and flash floods. Around 6,000 devotees stranded in the Bharmour region have been safely evacuated to Nurpur and Pathankot from Kalsuin. Meanwhile, Dharamsala and McLeodganj are facing a water crisis as the water level at the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark. The Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has also been blocked again due to landslides. Sources report that seven rescue teams, comprising police personnel, home guards, volunteers, NCC cadets, local residents, and civil officers, have been deployed to aid in the rescue operations. The devotees, who had trekked approximately 14 km from the district headquarters to reach Kalsuin, were then transported by 39 buses and 25 taxis to Chamba and Nurpur. Authorities have arranged additional buses to evacuate the remaining pilgrims, with 40 more buses requested. To assist the evacuees, arrangements for food and shelter have been made in Chamba, with community kitchens (langars) set up in Kalsui, Dharwala, and Dakhog to provide meals to the stranded devotees. Despite the debris being cleared from the Kalsui-Rakh road, heavy vehicles cannot pass, making the road unsuitable for large-scale movement. Due to the heavy rains and subsequent flash floods, roads were washed away, and communication links were severed, leading to the deaths of ten devotees and leaving eight others missing en route to the Manimahesh Yatra. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey of the disaster-hit areas in Bharmour, Manimahesh, and other regions of Chamba district, as well as Fatehpur and Mand in Kangra district, following the excess water release from the Pong Dam. However, the adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from landing in Bharmour. The Chief Minister held a meeting with district administration officials in Chamba and instructed them to expedite the relief and rescue operations in the affected areas. He also stressed the importance of ensuring adequate arrangements for food, water, shelter, and other essential amenities for those stranded. Sukhu visited Kalsuin to oversee the transportation arrangements and interacted with the devotees. He said, The buses have been arranged for the devotees at Kalsuin near Chamba from where they could board the same for going towards Nurpur and Pathankot. He also directed officials to quickly restore the Salooni-Khundimaral road to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims, particularly those coming from Jammu's Kishtwar and Doda districts. Sukhu added that the State Governments pre-emptive measures had helped reduce the loss of lives compared to the devastation in 2023. However, the scale of destruction this year was far greater, with widespread damage to roads, electricity, water supply, and communication services. This year, the entire state has been hit by the destruction attributed to incessant rains, landslides, and cloud bursts. The rehabilitation is a challenge, but with the support of the people, we will overcome it courageously. It is our responsibility to rehabilitate the families who have been rendered homeless, lost all means of livelihood, and we will offer a special relief package to support them, he said. The Chief Minister acknowledged that the situation was being closely monitored by key government officials. Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, and Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh are reviewing the situation on the ground, Sukhu said, highlighting the humanitarian approach being adopted by the government. He mentioned that, Revenue Minister Negi has proceeded for Bharmour on foot from Chamba. This demonstrates that the present government has adopted a humanitarian approach and was sensitively dealing with the crisis. Regarding road restoration, Sukhu mentioned that heavy machinery, including JCBs and poclains, has been deployed in the district. However, the weather has posed significant challenges to the relief and restoration works. The evacuation of those stranded in Bharmour is also dependent on favourable weather conditions, although helicopters have been deployed for this purpose. The Chief Minister also called for a study to determine the underlying reasons for the frequent occurrence of cloud bursts in the state, citing global warming and climate change as major contributors. We must dig deep to tackle this problem effectively and save valuable lives, he stressed. Before departing for Bharmour, Sukhu inquired about the relief and rehabilitation operations in Kangra district from the Deputy Commissioner, Hemraj Bairwa, following excess water release from Pong Dam. Meanwhile, the water level in the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark at 1,391.28 feet, slightly above the permissible limit of 1,390 feet. The inflow was recorded at 160,276 cusecs, and the outflow was 84,952 cusecs, of which 17,079 cusecs were released through turbines, and 67,873 cusecs through spillways. At the MHC, the discharge stood at 11,500 cusecs, and 73,452 cusecs were released downstream at the Shah Nehar Barrage, with six machines operational at the dam. The water shortage in Dharamsala and McLeodganj is also a growing concern, as several water supply schemes were disrupted due to heavy rainfall, which caused landslides and damaged pipelines. The main supply line from the Naddi water treatment plant to Dharamsala was damaged due to land subsidence, affecting several distribution networks. The Gajj Khadd scheme, one of the major sources of water for the city, has been non-functional for over a month, and both the Naddi-Bhatehad and Bhagsunag schemes were also disrupted, further affecting the water supply to large parts of the city. Once again, the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has been blocked between Mandi and Kullu due to a massive landslide, just a day after it was reopened following a four-day closure. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed its workforce and heavy machinery to clear the blockage, but the disruption has left vehicles and tourists stranded. A flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall was reported at Katwadhi village under the Nandi Panchayat of Gohar subdivision in Mandi district. The sudden surge of water in the Naseni Nallah caused significant damage to local infrastructure, although fortunately, no loss of human life has been reported. As of this morning, 557 roads, including three national highways, remain closed for traffic. Of these, 213 are in Mandi district, 160 in Kullu, 28 in Shimla, 38 in Sirmaur, 60 in Kangra, 23 in Una, 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Solan, and 9 in Bilaspur district. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 936 power supply transformers and 223 water supply schemes have also been disrupted across the state. In Shimla, two individuals, Hemant and Pyare Lal, were injured after their houses were damaged by landslides in Thala village in Rampur Subdivision. Both were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
10 pilgrims dead, eight missing, 5,000 devotees evacuated amid Manimahesh Yatra disaster
CHANDIGARH: Ten pilgrims have died, and eight are missing in the ongoing Manimahesh Yatra, which was suspended on Monday due to heavy rains, landslides, and flash floods. Around 5,000 devotees stranded in the Bharmour region have been safely evacuated to Nurpur and Pathankot from Kalsuin. Meanwhile, Dharamsala and McLeodganj are facing a water crisis as the water level at the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark. The Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has also been blocked again due to landslides. Sources report that seven rescue teams, comprising police personnel, home guards, volunteers, NCC cadets, local residents, and civil officers, have been deployed to aid in the rescue operations. The devotees, who had trekked approximately 14 km from the district headquarters to reach Kalsuin, were then transported by 39 buses and 25 taxis to Chamba and Nurpur. Authorities have arranged additional buses to evacuate the remaining pilgrims, with 40 more buses requested. To assist the evacuees, arrangements for food and shelter have been made in Chamba, with community kitchens (langars) set up in Kalsui, Dharwala, and Dakhog to provide meals to the stranded devotees. Despite the debris being cleared from the Kalsui-Rakh road, heavy vehicles cannot pass, making the road unsuitable for large-scale movement. Due to the heavy rains and subsequent flash floods, roads were washed away, and communication links were severed, leading to the deaths of ten devotees and leaving eight others missing en route to the Manimahesh Yatra. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey of the disaster-hit areas in Bharmour, Manimahesh, and other regions of Chamba district, as well as Fatehpur and Mand in Kangra district, following the excess water release from the Pong Dam. However, the adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from landing in Bharmour. The Chief Minister held a meeting with district administration officials in Chamba and instructed them to expedite the relief and rescue operations in the affected areas. He also stressed the importance of ensuring adequate arrangements for food, water, shelter, and other essential amenities for those stranded. Sukhu visited Kalsuin to oversee the transportation arrangements and interacted with the devotees. He said, The buses have been arranged for the devotees at Kalsuin near Chamba from where they could board the same for going towards Nurpur and Pathankot. He also directed officials to quickly restore the Salooni-Khundimaral road to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims, particularly those coming from Jammu's Kishtwar and Doda districts. Sukhu added that the State Governments pre-emptive measures had helped reduce the loss of lives compared to the devastation in 2023. However, the scale of destruction this year was far greater, with widespread damage to roads, electricity, water supply, and communication services. This year, the entire state has been hit by the destruction attributed to incessant rains, landslides, and cloud bursts. The rehabilitation is a challenge, but with the support of the people, we will overcome it courageously. It is our responsibility to rehabilitate the families who have been rendered homeless, lost all means of livelihood, and we will offer a special relief package to support them, he said. The Chief Minister acknowledged that the situation was being closely monitored by key government officials. Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, and Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh are reviewing the situation on the ground, Sukhu said, highlighting the humanitarian approach being adopted by the government. He mentioned that, Revenue Minister Negi has proceeded for Bharmour on foot from Chamba. This demonstrates that the present government has adopted a humanitarian approach and was sensitively dealing with the crisis. Regarding road restoration, Sukhu mentioned that heavy machinery, including JCBs and poclains, has been deployed in the district. However, the weather has posed significant challenges to the relief and restoration works. The evacuation of those stranded in Bharmour is also dependent on favourable weather conditions, although helicopters have been deployed for this purpose. The Chief Minister also called for a study to determine the underlying reasons for the frequent occurrence of cloud bursts in the state, citing global warming and climate change as major contributors. We must dig deep to tackle this problem effectively and save valuable lives, he stressed. Before departing for Bharmour, Sukhu inquired about the relief and rehabilitation operations in Kangra district from the Deputy Commissioner, Hemraj Bairwa, following excess water release from Pong Dam. Meanwhile, the water level in the Pong Dam remains above the danger mark at 1,391.28 feet, slightly above the permissible limit of 1,390 feet. The inflow was recorded at 160,276 cusecs, and the outflow was 84,952 cusecs, of which 17,079 cusecs were released through turbines, and 67,873 cusecs through spillways. At the MHC, the discharge stood at 11,500 cusecs, and 73,452 cusecs were released downstream at the Shah Nehar Barrage, with six machines operational at the dam. The water shortage in Dharamsala and McLeodganj is also a growing concern, as several water supply schemes were disrupted due to heavy rainfall, which caused landslides and damaged pipelines. The main supply line from the Naddi water treatment plant to Dharamsala was damaged due to land subsidence, affecting several distribution networks. The Gajj Khadd scheme, one of the major sources of water for the city, has been non-functional for over a month, and both the Naddi-Bhatehad and Bhagsunag schemes were also disrupted, further affecting the water supply to large parts of the city. Once again, the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway has been blocked between Mandi and Kullu due to a massive landslide, just a day after it was reopened following a four-day closure. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed its workforce and heavy machinery to clear the blockage, but the disruption has left vehicles and tourists stranded. A flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall was reported at Katwadhi village under the Nandi Panchayat of Gohar subdivision in Mandi district. The sudden surge of water in the Naseni Nallah caused significant damage to local infrastructure, although fortunately, no loss of human life has been reported. As of this morning, 557 roads, including three national highways, remain closed for traffic. Of these, 213 are in Mandi district, 160 in Kullu, 28 in Shimla, 38 in Sirmaur, 60 in Kangra, 23 in Una, 14 in Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Solan, and 9 in Bilaspur district. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 936 power supply transformers and 223 water supply schemes have also been disrupted across the state. In Shimla, two individuals, Hemant and Pyare Lal, were injured after their houses were damaged by landslides in Thala village in Rampur Subdivision. Both were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
Matthew Hayden recounted the unsettling experience during the IPL 2025 when India-Pakistan tensions led to airspace closures and heightened security. Commentators were briefed about potential emergency evacuations due to drone threats, leading to a sudden stadium evacuation during a match. Hayden highlighted the IPL's resilience in the face of various challenges throughout its history.
Himachal rains: Three dead, one injured as sudden downpour triggers flood in Mandi
CHANDIGARH: At least three people have died and one injured missing in Mandi town of Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rain overnight. More than 20 vehicles have been submerged and around two dozen houses partially damaged; the Chandigarh-Manali national highway, Chandigarh-Dharamsala, Mandi-Pathankot and Shimla-Mataur highways have been blocked. Sources said that a flash flood struck Mandi district early Tuesday morning. Four members of a family had reportedly come out of their house in the wee hours to shift their vehicle to a safer place, but were swept away in the sudden flood; three have been confirmed dead, while one person suffered a fracture and has been admitted to a local hospital. The incident occured on Jail Road Tungal colony in Mandi town as Sukati nullah overflowed due to sudden heavy rains and caused widespread destruction. The water entered several locations in about five-kilometer area besides the Jail Road, Saini Mohalla and Zonal hospital area. The flashflood washed away dozens of parked vehicles, while muck and debris entered homes and damaged property. Locals were caught off guard by the sudden rise in water levels. Rescue and relief operations are ongoing; teams of SDRF, volunteers and district administration are engaged in clearing debris and are trying to locate the missing person. Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Apoorva Devgan said that rescue operations are in full swing and about 15 to 20 people have been rescued. The victims were attempting to move their vehicles to safer locations when they were washed away along with their vehicles. The body of one person was found stuck in an auto-rickshaw, he added. Devgan said that more than dozen people trapped inside their houses were rescued. The rescue teams had to break window panes and doors to rescue them as their houses were filled with mud and silt, he said. The flash floods triggered landslides, blocking the Chandigarh-Manali NH at multiple points, specifically at 4 Miles, 9 Miles near Pandoh and Dwada. Also, the Mandi-Pathankot highway is blocked due to a landslide at the Lavandi Bridge near Jogindernagar. Many other interior roads in the district have also been blocked due to landslides and water-logging. A massive landslide triggered by incessant rains blocked the National Highway near Kangra, cutting off the only main road access to Dharamsala, McLeodganj and surrounding areas. Landslides also blocked the Shimla-Mataur National Highway at Old Kangra Ghat and reports of uprooting of trees and electricity have also poured from several parts of the state. The Met office had issued an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Tuesday. It also issued a yellow warning of heavy rains at isolated places in Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday, and Una, Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Wednesday. Since the start of the monsoon season this year from June 20 till July 28, the hill state has suffered a loss of Rs 1523 crore. So far 90 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents and 1320 houses have been fully or partially damaged in the state. A total of 200 roads, including 121 in the disaster-hit Mandi district, were closed for vehicular traffic on Monday night. 62 power distribution transformers and 110 water supply schemes have also been affected across the state, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre. Himachal seeks urgent Central aid as rain-triggered disasters cause Rs 883 crore loss, 109 deaths
Himachal rains: Two dead, one missing as sudden downpour triggers flood in Mandi
CHANDIGARH: At least three people have died and one person has gone missing in Mandi town of Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rain overnight. More than 20 vehicles have been submerged and around two dozen houses partially damaged; the Chandigarh-Manali national highway, Chandigarh-Dharamsala, Mandi-Pathankot and Shimla-Mataur highways have been blocked. Sources said that a flash flood struck Mandi district early Tuesday morning. Four members of a family had reportedly come out of their house in the wee hours to shift their vehicle to a safer place, but were swept away in the sudden flood; the bodies of two persons were recovered, one person is missing, while another person suffered a fracture and has been admitted to a local hospital. The incident occured on Jail Road Tungal colony in Mandi town as Sukati nullah overflowed due to sudden heavy rains and caused widespread destruction. The water entered several locations in about five-kilometer area besides the Jail Road, Saini Mohalla and Zonal hospital area. The flashflood washed away dozens of parked vehicles, while muck and debris entered homes and damaged property. Locals were caught off guard by the sudden rise in water levels. Rescue and relief operations are ongoing; teams of SDRF, volunteers and district administration are engaged in clearing debris and are trying to locate the missing person. Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Apoorva Devgan said that rescue operations are in full swing and about 15 to 20 people have been rescued, while one missing person is yet to be located. The victims were attempting to move their vehicles to safer locations when they were washed away along with their vehicles. The body of one person was found stuck in an auto-rickshaw, he added. Devgan said that more than dozen people trapped inside their houses were rescued. The rescue teams had to break window panes and doors to rescue them as their houses were filled with mud and silt, he said. The flash floods triggered landslides, blocking the Chandigarh-Manali NH at multiple points, specifically at 4 Miles, 9 Miles near Pandoh and Dwada. Also, the Mandi-Pathankot highway is blocked due to a landslide at the Lavandi Bridge near Jogindernagar. Many other interior roads in the district have also been blocked due to landslides and water-logging. A massive landslide triggered by incessant rains blocked the National Highway near Kangra, cutting off the only main road access to Dharamsala, McLeodganj and surrounding areas. Landslides also blocked the Shimla-Mataur National Highway at Old Kangra Ghat and reports of uprooting of trees and electricity have also poured from several parts of the state. The Met office had issued an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Tuesday. It also issued a yellow warning of heavy rains at isolated places in Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday, and Una, Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Wednesday. Since the start of the monsoon season this year from June 20 till July 28, the hill state has suffered a loss of Rs 1523 crore. So far 90 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents and 1320 houses have been fully or partially damaged in the state. A total of 200 roads, including 121 in the disaster-hit Mandi district, were closed for vehicular traffic on Monday night. 62 power distribution transformers and 110 water supply schemes have also been affected across the state, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre. Himachal seeks urgent Central aid as rain-triggered disasters cause Rs 883 crore loss, 109 deaths
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Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stirred controversy by claiming that Pakistani cyber experts were behind the floodlight failure at an IPL match in Dharamsala. He linked the outage to a broader cyber attack on Indian infrastructure, just days after India launched Operation Sindoor. The match was officially called off due to a regional technical fault, but Asifs statement quickly went viraland not for the right reasons. Online users mocked the claims, questioning both the science and the seriousness behind them.
Four dead in separate Himachal Pradesh tragedies; three drown, one killed in accident
CHANDIGARH: Four people lost their lives in separate incidents across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, three due to drowning and one in a tragic road accident. In the first incident, two Kashmiri youths drowned in Baner Khad in Gram Panchayat Gahlian near Ranital in Kangra district. The deceased were identified as Rajendra Kumar (36) and Ashok Kumar (21), both from Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. They had been working as woodcutters and were living in a rented accommodation in Gahlian. Sources said the two, along with two friends, had gone to the ravine to wash clothes. Afterward, they entered the water to bathe but ventured into the deeper section and drowned. When they did not return for a long time, their other two friends started searching for them and found their clothes and mobile phones lying on the banks of Baner Khad. When they raised an alarm, the local people, including the Panchayat Pradhan and Deputy Pradhan, reached the spot and with the help of the people, divers took out the bodies, said an official. Police reached the spot, took custody of the bodies, and sent them for post-mortem examination at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College and Hospital in Tanda. In a separate drowning incident, 21-year-old Sheetal, a local girl, died while bathing in Jabbar Khad along the Defence Road in Dhakki village under the Nurpur police station area. Police took her body into custody, conducted a post-mortem examination, and handed it over to the family for cremation. In both drowning incidents, police have initiated inquest proceedings. Meanwhile, tragedy struck in Una district when a pick-up van fell into a 24-foot-deep gorge near the Peer Nigahe area, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to 29 others. The victims were from Punjab and were returning after visiting shrines, including Baba Balak Nath and other local pilgrimage centres, when the accident occurred on Thursday night. Locals rescued the injured from the gorge and rushed them to Una hospital, where one of them succumbed to injuries. Two critically injured persons were referred to PGI Chandigarh. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway. On a separate note, light rainfall lashed Shimla on Thursday afternoon, providing much-needed relief from the sweltering heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast rain and thunderstorms in the area, which finally arrived, ending a prolonged dry spell. Rain accompanied by thunderstorm was also reported in Dharamsala, McLeodganj and the surrounding areas.
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