Himachal Pradesh is once again at the mercy of an unforgiving monsoon, as relentless overnight rains wreaked havoc across the State, prompting the Meteorological Department to issue a ‘red alert’ in 10 districts on Sunday. The advisory warns of extremely heavy rainfall, landslides, flash floods, and disruptions to essential services in districts including Shimla, Mandi, Solan, Kangra, Kullu, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Hamirpur, Una, and Chamba.
The cascading impact of the downpour was felt early Sunday morning when operations on the Shimla-Kalka heritage railway line — a UNESCO World Heritage site — were suspended. Landslides and uprooted trees choked sections of the track, particularly near Solan’s Koti area. Trains were halted at various points, including Koti, Gumman, and Kalka, leaving passengers stranded for hours. Repair crews rushed to the site to clear the debris, but viral videos of frustrated travellers underscored the growing public anguish.
In addition, landslides on National Highway-5, the critical artery between Shimla and Chandigarh, triggered massive traffic snarls near Koti and Chakki Mod. Solan police confirmed that traffic was eventually restored, but only after prolonged delays. An alternate route via Jangeshu was also blocked due to debris, further complicating mobility in the region.
The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported three fresh fatalities in the past 24 hours — one drowning each in Una and Bilaspur, and a fatal fall in Shimla — taking the total monsoon death toll to 20 since June 20. Four people remain missing.
The Baddi-Barotiwala industrial belt in Solan district is among the worst-hit areas. The swelling Balad River has overflowed dangerously, submerging homes in Shivalik Nagar, Jharmajri. Reports suggested water levels reached four feet in several residential buildings, with residents blaming inadequate drainage systems — a recurring monsoon nightmare. A bridge leading to the Himuda Complex in the area was washed away, cutting off access to Mandhala and Bagguwala.
In another alarming development, all five spillway gates of the Pandoh dam in Mandi district were opened as a precautionary pre-monsoon flush, increasing the Beas River’s discharge to a massive 44,000 cusecs. The elevated silt levels forced the shutdown of the Baggi tunnel, temporarily halting operations at the Dehar Power House, confirmed Bhakra Beas Management Board officials.
A tin-sheet canteen, previously vacated after an earlier landslide, was flattened near Waknaghat on NH-5, underscoring the fragile state of temporary structures along hilly terrains. In Mandi, the water levels of Juni Khad and Beas River surged dramatically, prompting the district administration to warn locals to stay away from riverbanks.
The state also saw the closure of 129 roads, and over 600 power transformers were rendered non-functional. Sirmaur and Mandi districts alone accounted for 101 of these road blockages.
Rainfall figures were significant and widespread: Jogindernagar received 135 mm, followed by Kasauli (125 mm), Poanta Sahib (116.8 mm), and Shimla (102 mm). Other high readings included Bilaspur (104.2 mm), Kufri (91.5 mm), and Solan (88.2 mm). Thunderstorms also lashed Sundernagar, Kangra, and areas surrounding Shimla including Kufri and Jubberhatti.
With heavy rainfall predicted to continue till July 5, the MeT office has issued an orange alert for Monday and cautioned about moderate to high flash-flood risk across 10 districts. The 2023 monsoon had already left a deep scar on Himachal, claiming over 550 lives and causing massive infrastructure damage. This year’s early warnings have only amplified public fear and administrative pressure.
Officials have urged residents in low-lying and landslide-prone areas to remain alert, stock up on essentials, and follow district-wise advisories. Relief and rescue teams have been placed on high alert, with district disaster management authorities working round-the-clock.
Punjab on High Alert as Monsoon Intensifies; 18 Districts Face Rain Warning, Dam Levels Rise
Chandigarh: Punjab is on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for 18 districts, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall through the weekend and into early next week. The alert covers areas including Sangrur, Patiala, Mohali, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Moga, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Fazilka, Faridkot, Rupnagar, and even the union territory of Chandigarh.
Rainfall activity, which began on Saturday, continued Sunday morning across Mohali and its surrounding areas. Significant rainfall was recorded in several districts — Ferozepur logged 54.5 mm, Moga 32 mm, and Pathankot 7 mm. Cloudy skies across Punjab led to a dip in maximum temperatures, with an average decline of 0.7 degree Celsius.
The monsoon arrived in Punjab five days ahead of schedule this year and has proven generous. As of June 29, the state has received 54.9 mm of rainfall, which is 19 percent above the normal average of 46.2 mm for the month.
According to IMD forecasts, the rains are likely to persist through June 30 and July 1, spreading across most of the state. Districts like Sangrur and Patiala are under orange alert, while yellow alerts are in place for Mansa, Barnala, Nawanshahr, and parts of Doaba and Majha regions.
The Meteorological Department has also cautioned against very heavy rainfall — over 12 cm — in low-lying regions, which could lead to waterlogging and potential damage to crops.
In tandem with the rainfall, water levels in major dams have begun to rise. As per data till June 27, Pong Dam stood at 1295.53 feet, still about 94.5 feet below its full capacity (1390 feet), but with a 2.58 feet increase. Bhakra Dam reported a level of 1567.62 feet, around 112 feet below capacity. Inflow was 42,249 cusecs, with outflow at 32,863 cusecs.
Pandoh Dam recorded 21,679 cusecs inflow and 14,607 cusecs outflow, with a water level of 2922.17 feet. Ranjit Sagar Dam stood at 505.42 meters, nearly 22.5 meters below its full level of 527.91 meters.
The IMD and state authorities have urged residents, particularly in vulnerable districts, to remain alert. With the first week of July forecast to bring more intense rainfall, authorities are keeping a close watch on flood-prone areas and dam discharges.
Rain Lashes Haryana and Chad; Heat Eases as Mercury Dips Sharply
Chandigarh: A widespread spell of monsoon showers lashed several parts of Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Sunday, offering a much-needed respite from the prolonged spell of scorching summer heat. The IMD recorded 119.5 mm of rain in Chandigarh over the past 24 hours, the highest in the region.
In Haryana, Ambala topped the charts with 91 mm rainfall, while significant precipitation was reported from Rohtak, Gurugram, Kaithal, Nuh, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, and Panchkula.
The IMD forecast suggests that the wet spell will continue through June 30 and July 1, with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several northern and eastern districts, including Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Sonepat, and Kurukshetra. “The rainfall activity is likely to be accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places during the spell,” the weather department said in its bulletin.
Temperatures plummeted across Haryana as a result of the showers. On Sunday, the average maximum temperature dipped by about 3 degree Celsius, with some districts recording temperatures 6 degree Celsius below normal. Ambala recorded 29.4 degree Celsius, Karnal 29 degree Celsius, Yamunanagar 27.2 degree Celsius; Gurugram 33.1 degree Celsius; Sirsa, however, remained the hottest at 38 degree Celsius.
The IMD has also highlighted the risk of waterlogging in urban areas and disruption to traffic due to continuous rainfall. Authorities in Haryana’s northern districts have been asked to remain on alert and monitor low-lying regions for flash floods or crop damage.