Himachal flash floods: Chandigarh-Manali highway reopens after nearly 24 hours

In a big relief to hundreds of stranded tourists and communters, the Chandigarh-Manali national highway opened on Monday (June 27) night after it was closed for almost 24 hours owing to landslides and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, said officials.

Hundreds of commuters, including tourists, were stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district as the highway was blocked since Sunday evening. Six people had died and 10 people injured in heavy rains that lashed Himachal that triggered landslides and flash floods in several places in the state, according to official estimates.

Tourists who had made a beeline to the popular holiday destination Manali found themselves stuck far away from their homes as over 300 roads were closed. According to reports, the rain situation will remain the same as the IMD issued an orange alert for the next 24 hours in the state.

The 70-km Mandi-Pandoh-Kullu stretch of the highway was blocked at Khotinallah near Aut, about 40 km from Mandi town, following flash floods while the Mandi-Pandoh stretch was cut off for nearly six miles after a landslide. Though the Mandi-Kullu stretch was opened on Monday night after almost 20 hours, the woes of the tourists continued on Tuesday as several other key roads remained blocked after the landslide triggered by the heavy rains.

Also read: Six killed in Himachal landslides, flash floods; commuters stranded on highway

More rain expected

Light to moderate rains continued to lash several parts of Himachal Pradesh and the MeT office has issued a warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places on June 28 and 29 and thunderstorm and lightning on June 30 and July 1.

A total of 301 roads were closed in the state following heavy rains, while 140 power transformers were disrupted. Flash floods were also witnessed in Khotinallah near Aut, about 40 km from Mandi town, on the Pandoh-Kullu stretch due to a heavy downpour.

Nine people have been killed in rain-related incidents, including landslides, and drowning, in Himachal Pradesh so far, according to the data shared by the state emergency operation centre.

The state has suffered losses to the tune of ₹102 crore in rain-related incidents. The Jal Shakti Vibhag suffered maximum damage of ₹73.68 crore followed by the Public Works department (PWD), which suffered a loss of ₹27.79 crore, according to the data.

(With input from agencies)