A landslide incident triggered by heavy rainfall has led to the blockage of the Kullu-Mandi National Highway in Himachal Pradesh. The Deputy Commissioner of Kullu district provided a traffic update on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the road closure. The Kullu-Mandi road via Pandoh and Kamand has been closed after a landslide occurred earlier in the day.
The Deputy Commissioner stated, “The Kullu-Mandi NH is closed following a landslide due to heavy rains. Work is being carried out to restore the traffic.”
Himachal Pradesh has been grappling with incessant rainfall for over a month, resulting in numerous landslides and cloudbursts across the state. Unfortunately, rain-related incidents have led to the loss of around 367 lives in the state so far in 2023, according to the State Disaster Management Authority’s report.
Data indicates that an average of about seven individuals have been losing their lives daily in rain-related occurrences within the hilly state since the onset of the monsoon on June 24.
In addition to the loss of lives, the state is also facing significant financial losses due to property and infrastructure damage. The state’s disaster management authority estimates the monetary loss to reach nearly ₹12,000 crore.
Himachal Pradesh, often referred to as Dev Bhoomi, has experienced substantial landslides in various locations over the past fortnight. The state government has formed investigation teams to determine the causes of the destruction and is planning to involve experts from different states to find viable solutions.
Recent heavy rainfall has led to traffic suspensions on multiple roads in Shimla. On Wednesday, approximately 13 major roads across the district were closed due to landslides. Landslides, building collapses, tree uprooting, and other incidents have become common following heavy downpours in the region. The state has reported a total of 113 landslides during this monsoon season.