Himachal rain fury: 3 dead, roads blocked, 5-story building collapses
What's the story
Himachal Pradesh is reeling under heavy rainfall, which has led to widespread disruptions and landslides. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for 10 out of the state's 12 districts on Monday. The affected areas include Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, Kullu, and Chamba. In Shimla, a five-story building collapsed in Bhattakufer in the suburbs, while several cows from a shed washed away in the cloudburst in Rampur.
Twitter Post
A five-story building collapsed in Shimla
A building collapses like house of cards in #shimla amidst #rains . Did #monsoon destruction last year taught us nothing. Rampant unchecked construction in hills leads to chaos. #Monsoon2025 #monsoonsafety #shimlanews #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/W9JkAWHX13
— Sumedha Sharma (@sumedhasharma86) June 30, 2025
Weather warnings
IMD issues red alert for 10 districts
Three people also died in a road accident near Jalog, Shimla, amid continuous heavy rains on Monday. The IMD has warned of intense spells of rain, flash floods, and landslides. The Shimla Met office has also cautioned about possible waterlogging and road blockages. An orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated pockets remains in place till July 5.
Transportation impact
Train services on Shimla-Kalka railway line disrupted
The heavy rainfall has also disrupted train services on the Shimla-Kalka railway line. The service was suspended for several hours after boulders and trees fell on the tracks near Koti in the Solan district. National Highway 5 (NH-5), connecting Shimla and Chandigarh, also witnessed a major landslide near Koti, causing a traffic jam stretching two to three kilometers. According to the Disaster Management Authority, 34 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) are down, hampering Shimla's electricity supply.
Flood impact
Several homes flooded in Baddi
In the Baddi industrial belt, the Bald River swelled dangerously, flooding over 20 homes in Jhadmajri's Shivalik Nagar area. The nearby bridge to Himuda Complex was washed away, cutting off access to the Mandhala and Bagguwala areas. All five spillway gates of Pandoh dam were opened for pre-monsoon flushing of Larji dam, raising the water level in the Beas River and increasing downstream flooding risk.
Casualties reported
Rain-related incidents have claimed 20 lives
Since the monsoon started on June 20, rain-related incidents have left 20 dead and four missing, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Emergency Operation Centre. The rains have also blocked 129 roads across the state and disrupted power supply through 612 transformers. Sirmaur and Mandi districts reported the highest number of road blockages, with 57 and 44 roads cut off, respectively.
Flash flood warning
High risk of flash floods in 10 districts
The IMD has warned of a moderate to high risk of flash floods in the above-mentioned 10 districts. Himachal Pradesh witnessed one of the worst monsoon disasters in its history, with over 550 fatalities during July and August 2023. Meanwhile, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Gujarat Region, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and West Uttar Pradesh till July 5.