Himachal, Uttarakhand battered by heavy rain; dozens killed
At least 52 people were killed in landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, while 13 are dead or missing in Uttarakhand. The torrential downpour destroyed buildings, washed away vehicles, and disrupted key road and rail links. The states were hit by floods and extreme rainfall in July as well. Major highways were blocked, and the historic Kalka-Shimla railway track was damaged. The devastating weather events serve as a reminder of the impact of the climate crisis and the need to protect the Himalayan ecosystem.
Devastating landslides and rampaging rivers triggered by heavy overnight rain on Monday killed at least 52 people in Himachal Pradesh and left at least 13 people dead or missing in Uttarakhand, while officials said that dozens more may have been killed in the two Himalayan states.
The torrential downpour washed away vehicles and subsumed buildings into flood waters, while key road and rail links were destroyed — as tragedy struck not just remote areas but the main cities of the two states and popular tourist destinations. Among the places to be hit was a temple in Shimla, where 11 bodies were found and 20 more presumed to be buried under the debris. And Rishikesh, which received a peak amount of rain for any location in India on Monday at 420mm, that triggered mudslides that swamped trucks, buses and vehicles, and trapped people in their homes.
“Over 50 people have lost their lives in the state in last 24 hours. Over 20 people are still trapped, the death toll can also increase. Search and rescue operation is underway. We have taken the decision not to organise any cultural program on the occasion of Independence Day,” said Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
In Uttarakhand, at least 13 people were confirmed or feared dead across the state and the government suspended the Char Dham Yatra for two days after highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri were snapped by landslides at several places.
{{/usCountry}}In Uttarakhand, at least 13 people were confirmed or feared dead across the state and the government suspended the Char Dham Yatra for two days after highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri were snapped by landslides at several places.
{{/usCountry}}This is the second time during this year’s monsoons that Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reeling under floods and extreme rainfall. In July, floods, landslides and mudslides devastated Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand after two weather systems combined to unleash devastating volumes of rain.
{{/usCountry}}This is the second time during this year’s monsoons that Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reeling under floods and extreme rainfall. In July, floods, landslides and mudslides devastated Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand after two weather systems combined to unleash devastating volumes of rain.
{{/usCountry}}Among the worst of the devastation in Himachal was Shimla, the state capital, and Solan, the state’s third-largest city by population. At least eight people were killed in landslides in Solan or villages in the division.
{{/usCountry}}Among the worst of the devastation in Himachal was Shimla, the state capital, and Solan, the state’s third-largest city by population. At least eight people were killed in landslides in Solan or villages in the division.
{{/usCountry}}Much of the rescue operations on Monday were centered around Shimla, where a landslide buried a temple under a mound of mud at the Summerhill locality, from where nine bodies had been recovered while 20 more people were believed to still be trapped.
Devotees had gathered in a large number to offer prayers at the temple on the occasion of it being the last Monday of Shravan — a month considered auspicious for some Hindus, when the tragedy struck at 7.30am.
The remainder of the deaths took place across the state, where the ground beneath a section of the historic Kalka-Shimla railway track was washed away, leaving the rails suspended mid-air.
Major highways were blocked, including Kalka-Shimla, Kiratpur-Manali, and Pathankot-Mandi, Dharamshala-Shimla routes.
Mandi district accounted for the second-highest number of deaths where 24 people were known to have been killed due to the landslides.
The Beas and its tributaries are in a spate and an alert has been issued in the downstream areas of Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra. “People living in the downstream of Pong Dam have been asked to move away to safer places,” said Kangra deputy commissioner Nipun Jindal.
Palampur got 220mm rainfall, Guler 191mm, Jogindernagar 178mm, Nagrota Surian 175.8mm, Kataula 172.3mm, Sundernagar 168.4mm, Baldwara 146.9mm, Mandi 139.6mm, Jubberhatti 131.6, and Barthin 126.2mm.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) nearly 800 roads were blocked for traffic across the state, the maximum 345 in Mandi district alone.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with senior officials to review the rain situation in the state and it was decided to suspend the Chard Dham Yatra for two days. Rudraprayag district disaster management officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said a landslide hit a camp at Lincholi near Kedarnath, killing one person identified as 26-year-old Kalu Bahadur from Nepal.
Triggering the latest spell of rain is a similar, albeit milder, weather phenomenon which was seen in July. The trough of the monsoon, a high altitude band of wind and moisture that interact in such a way that the heavy moisture content turns into clouds, and clouds to rains, is close to the Himalayan foothills.
It is supplemented by a feeble western disturbance, a rain-bearing system that originates in the Mediterranean Sea which too brings moisture-laden winds. The trough has been near the Himalayas for months now, which has meant that since August 1, Uttarakhand recorded 232.5mm against normal of 191.40mm (21% excess) and Himachal Pradesh recorded 147.40mm against normal of 140.20mm (5% excess).
The mayhem that played out in the last 24 hours was a stark reminder of the effects of climate crisis hitting home. Also highlighted is the wanton destruction of the precious Himalayan ecosystem. Experts said “forest and plant cover often play a very significant role in slowing down the impact of continuous rainfall on soil”.
