Mandi: Himachal Pradesh is reeling under the fury of the monsoon, with devastating flash floods destroying infrastructure and livelihoods. In Thunag town, residents watched helplessly as the Himachal Cooperative Bank, the only bank serving a population of around 8,000, was gutted by torrents of water and debris.

Locals now guard what remains, fearing theft of valuables swept away by the floods. The estimated damage, running into crores, includes jewellery worth lakhs.

Worst hit in the past months:

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) reports that since June 20, the state has witnessed 23 flash floods, 19 cloudbursts, and 16 landslides, claiming 78 lives. Of these, 50 deaths are linked to rain-triggered tragedies, while 28 were due to road accidents. The missing toll stands at 37, with 115 injured as of July 6.

Mandi district, among the hardest hit, faces severe infrastructural collapse. Hundreds of roads, including two national highways, remain closed, while power and water supplies are crippled with over 500 transformers and water projects stalled.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Sirmaur, Kangra, and Mandi districts, warning of very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning today, with further heavy rain expected on July 8 and 9. Seven other districts, including Shimla and Kullu, are under an orange alert.

4 Uttarakhand Districts On Landslide Alert

Adding to the crisis, the Geological Survey of India has sounded a landslide warning in Uttarakhand’s Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts. Local administrations have been told to halt tourist movement in high Himalayan regions, deploy heavy equipment strategically, and keep disaster response teams on high alert for the next 48 hours.

Delhi Faces Severe Rainfall

Meanwhile, Delhi and the National Capital Region woke up to pounding rain on Monday morning, breaking a prolonged dry spell. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Delhi-NCR, forecasting more heavy downpours over the next four days as the monsoon trough shifts north.

As monsoon mayhem deepens across North India, residents brace for further damage and disruption, with officials warning that the worst may not yet be over.