Three Killed in Landslide Amid Torrential Rains
A heavy rainfall landslide in Himachal Pradesh has claimed three lives and left several others injured in the Mandi district. The tragedy struck early Tuesday in the Nihri area, where debris from a cliff collapsed onto a residential home following intense overnight precipitation. Two individuals were rescued, while rescue efforts continue for others potentially trapped.
At the same time, Dharampur town in Mandi was severely affected, with flooding sweeping away vehicles and inundating the local bus stand. Authorities confirm that the Son Khad river swelled after the heavy rains, causing extensive damage to public infrastructure.
Geography, Weather Context, and Monsoon Strain
The incident is part of a broader pattern of weather disruptions in Himachal Pradesh during the ongoing monsoon season. Since late June, multiple districts including Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, and Kangra have been among the hardest-hit areas by landslides, flash floods, and related incidents.
The storm that triggered the landslide in Nihri followed heavy overnight rainfall. The state’s disaster agencies had issued alerts, though such safeguards are often less effective when rainfall intensity escalates rapidly.
Details: Loss, Damage, Rescue Operations
In Nihri area, the landslide struck a house at Bragta village under Boi Panchayat, burying five family members. Two survivors were pulled out and hospitalized; the others remain missing under debris.
In Dharampur, flash floods from the swollen Son Khad river submerged the bus stand, swept away state-run and private buses, damaged shops, pump houses, workshops, and many vehicles. Homes near the riverbank were flooded, and residents were forced to climb to rooftops. A hostel housing roughly 150 students also suffered flooding; occupants were moved to higher floors safely.
Local authorities, including the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), police, and disaster response teams, as well as volunteer groups, have mobilized to conduct search, rescue, and relief operations. Weather remains unstable, complicating efforts.
Expert Assessment and State Response
Experts say this event underscores the vulnerability of hillside settlements to landslides and flood risk during peak monsoon periods. Unstable slopes, deforested areas, and poorly drained river basins widely contribute to disasters once rainfall intensifies beyond what the soil and infrastructure can absorb.
The Himachal Pradesh government has reported that since June 20, over 400 people have died state-wide in monsoon-related incidents; of these, more than 200 are due to rain-related causes such as landslides, flash floods, and house collapses. Mandi district alone accounts for the highest number of casualties among the affected districts.
Authorities have announced compensation and urged residents to stay alert, particularly in villages near riverbanks or slopes, as more rainfall is forecast.
What This Means for Residents and Infrastructure
For local residents, this heavy rainfall landslide in Himachal Pradesh has meant loss of life, property damage, and disrupted livelihoods. Many homes and shops near rivers are damaged or destroyed, essential services are cut off, and mobility is severely hampered due to blocked roads.
Public infrastructure damage includes buses destroyed, bus stands and workshops flooded, and pump houses washed out—affecting water supply and transport. Students in affected areas face school closures, and displaced people are housed temporarily in relief shelters.
On a broader scale, the incident may lead to renewed calls for better landslide and flood mitigation, improved early warning systems, slope stabilization, stricter land usage regulation in vulnerable zones, and fast-track restoration of amenities in monsoon-affected districts.
FAQs
The landslide struck Nihri area in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh.
Three people were killed; two were rescued from the collapsed house. Several others remain missing.
Since June 20, more than 400 people have died in monsoon-related incidents across Himachal Pradesh. Rain-related causes—landslides, flash floods, house collapses—account for over half of those fatalities.
Sources: Economic Times
