Rain continues in Himachal Pradesh; dense fog, landslides cripple normal life

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 5 (ANI): Relentless monsoon rains continued to lash Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, affecting daily life across several districts for the fifth consecutive day. Dense fog, intermittent landslides, and waterlogging have crippled mobility, with traffic coming to a near halt in many areas.
The state capital, Shimla, also witnessed widespread disruption, with visibility levels dropping sharply due to persistent fog and rain.
Local residents are struggling to maintain their day-to-day routines as rains intensify across Himachal Pradesh.
"Continuous rain has hit normal life. It's becoming difficult for children to go to school and for us to carry out daily work," said Kapil, a resident of Shimla. "There's also fear of landslides due to the ongoing rain, and that's keeping people from stepping out unless absolutely necessary," he added.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in several districts, including Shimla, Solan, Mandi, and Bilaspur. Additionally, Una, Hamirpur, and Kangra are also on alert for very heavy rain on Tuesday.
Essential services, including road connectivity, electricity, and water supply, have been severely impacted in multiple parts of the state due to the continuous downpour. Commuters, especially students and office-goers, are facing difficulties as transport remains irregular and roads remain prone to sudden blockages due to landslides.
State authorities are monitoring the situation closely as the rainfall is expected to continue till August 10. Alerts have been issued across vulnerable areas, with concerns rising over the likelihood of flash floods and landslides.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), monsoon-related disruptions continued across the state, with 449 roads, 753 distribution transformers and 276 water supply schemes impacted as of 10 am on Tuesday.
The SDMA said the monsoon death toll has risen to 192, including 106 rain-related fatalities and 86 deaths due to road accidents, underscoring the compounded impact of inclement weather and infrastructure challenges.
Mandi remains the worst-affected district, with 318 roads blocked due to heavy rainfall and landslides, including three key national highways (NH-21, NH-003, and NH-154).
The Seraj, Thalout, and Karsog subdivisions in Mandi witnessed the highest concentration of road disruptions. Additionally, Mandi district alone reported 657 power outages, making it the epicentre of infrastructural damage.
Other severely impacted districts include Kullu with 67 roads blocked, Kangra with 23, and Sirmour with 22. (ANI)