Multiple Landslides Block Mandi-Manali Route, Tourists Spend Night On Highway

Over five landslides between Mandi and Manali in Himachal Pradesh have blocked the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway. People travelling to Kullu and Manali have been stranded for over 12 hours now and have had to spend the night in their vehicles. The local administration is working towards opening a single lane for lighter vehicles till roads are cleared.

A man from Uttar Pradesh, headed to Manali for a vacation, has been stuck since 4 am. "We are waiting. Depending on the situation, we will decide if we want to move ahead or take a u-turn as nothing is bigger than life," he said, speaking to NDTV.

A businessman from Ambala started his journey to Kullu last evening, but his truck was stopped around 7:30 pm owing to a road blockage. The man, who regularly visits Kullu for work, says he has no option but to wait.

"It is only since the start of monsoon, that is June 20, we have been facing issues in commuting. But we have to go for business," he said.

"The road is likely to clear by 3 pm. Let us see," added another businessman.

People travelling from Mandi to Manali and vice versa have been stuck at the two ends of the highway due to multiple landslides en route. 

The work is on to clear the road and restore traffic movement, but it could take a day. Meanwhile, traffic police have been deployed to restrict vehicles from moving towards Manali.

413 Pilgrims Rescued Via Zipline, Cloudbursts Wash Away Bridge In Himachal

Over 400 pilgrims have been rescued from the Kinnaur Kailash trek in Himachal Pradesh after two makeshift bridges on the trek route were washed away, leaving several tourists stranded. Incidents of cloudbursts and heavy rains were reported in Kinnaur, with a bridge over the Tangling drain being washed away on Wednesday morning. The rescue operations were led by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) along with the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF).

Himachal Pradesh Rain Fury: 194 Deaths Reported This Monsoon Season

Himachal Pradesh has reported 194 deaths and a cumulative loss of over Rs 1.85 lakh during the monsoon season - from June 20 to August 5 - this year, according to a report by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

Rain-related incidents like landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts have resulted in loss of public and private infrastructure. The total loss to private property is estimated at Rs 97,129.91 lakh, while public property damage is at Rs 63,341.15 lakh.

Apart from this, 446 roads and three national highways - NH-305, NH-003, and NH-05 - are blocked, 360 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) have stopped working, and 257 water supply schemes are disrupted.