Shimla, Sept 14 — Torrential rain has left Himachal Pradesh struggling to recover as more than 650 roads, including three national highways, remain blocked across multiple districts, officials said Sunday.
The State Emergency Operation Centre reported that Mandi is the worst-hit district, with 246 roads cut off. Kullu has 172 road closures, including National Highways 03 and 305. Other affected regions include Shimla with 58 roads shut, Kangra with 45, Chamba with 38, Sirmour with 24, Una with 23—including NH 503A—Solan with 17, Bilaspur with 13, Hamirpur with 12, and Kinnaur with 2.
“The continuous downpour has brought movement in many parts of the state to a standstill,” an official of the emergency centre said, adding that restoration work was underway but hampered by fresh landslides.
The rain has also disrupted essential services. A total of 185 power transformers are out of service—93 in Kullu, 64 in Mandi, 24 in Chamba, and 4 in Shimla—cutting off electricity in several villages. Water supply schemes have also suffered damage. According to officials, 343 schemes are currently non-functional: 176 in Kangra, 61 in Shimla, 53 in Mandi, 27 in Hamirpur, 17 in Chamba, 6 in Kullu, 2 in Sirmour, and 1 in Solan.
Local residents said daily life has been thrown out of gear. “We have been without electricity for over 24 hours, and there is no clear update on when supply will be restored,” said Suresh Kumar, a resident of Mandi.
The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for Sunday, warning of more heavy rain in Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, and Sirmour. “There are chances of continued downpours in several middle and higher hill districts, which may further affect connectivity,” a Met official noted.
Authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert to possible landslides.
