“Cloudbursts & Landslides Batter Himachal‑Uttarakhand: Red Alerts, Roadblocks & School Closures”

Monsoon fury has unleashed cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, prompting red and orange alerts from the India Meteorological Department. In Himachal's Mandi district, relentless rain caused the Beas River to overflow, washing out parts of the Chandigarh–Manali highway and trapping over 250 people in mountain tunnels near Hanogi; one person has died and around 12–13 remain missing, though 34 individuals have been rescued.

Across Himachal, schools in Mandi, Kangra, Sirmaur, Solan, Bilaspur, and Shimla have been shut in response to heavy rains. Over 250 roads, 614 power transformers, and 130 water-supply schemes are disrupted in the state.

The IMD warns of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall, with red alerts in Uttarakhand and orange alerts for hill districts including Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi. The swollen Ganga river in Rishikesh is being closely monitored, and sections of the Yamunotri highway have been temporarily blocked.

Authorities have stationed rescue teams, provided food and shelter at sites like Hanogi Mata Temple, and issued strong advisories urging citizens to avoid riverbanks and unstable terrain. Disaster-response drills have begun in vulnerable areas. The early arrival of monsoon—covering the country almost week ahead of schedule—is exacerbating the risk of floods, landslides, and infrastructure damage.