Himachal Pradesh is on high alert with schools and colleges shut in several districts as heavy rainfall triggers landslides, flash floods, and road closures, prompting authorities to issue warnings and activate emergency centres.
Torrential rains have caused widespread devastation across several Indian states, leading to at least 11 deaths in Assam and Uttarakhand, pushing rivers above danger levels, and disrupting daily life with landslides, floods, and school closures. States like Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir are also grappling with the monsoon fury, while Meghalaya faces an unusual rainfall deficit.
Ongoing search operations are intensifying in Wayanad as one more individual is still missing after a devastating landslide at the Anakkompoyil Meppadi tunnel project claimed seven lives.
The death toll from the Wayanad landslide has increased to six after three more bodies were recovered. The deceased include migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar. Search operations are ongoing for two missing individuals, while several injured remain hospitalised.
The body of Vikram Rana, the last person missing after the July 7 landslide at the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi tunnel project site in Kalladi, Wayanad, Kerala, has been recovered. This brings the death toll to eight. A massive search operation involving multiple agencies led to the discovery of the construction manager's body, concluding the search efforts.
A recent study by scientists indicates that the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region is experiencing increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change, including rapid glacial melting and changing rainfall patterns. However, the research also cautions against solely blaming climate change, highlighting that human factors like population growth, commercial activities, and non-enforcement of regulations contribute significantly to the vulnerability and impact of these disasters. The study points out that many devastating floods originate from small glaciers and rain-fed streams, exacerbated by encroachment on unstable slopes and floodplains.
'This is no longer a single-hazard problem; it is a cascading, multi-hazard problem. A landslide never occurs in isolation. This entire chain is the cascading effect of what looks, at first, like a single disaster.'
Monsoon rains have unleashed widespread destruction across India, claiming seven lives in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka due to landslides and floods, while heavy downpours have disrupted normal life and triggered red alerts in Maharashtra and other regions.
Researchers at IIT Mandi have developed a real-time landslide monitoring and early warning system that has been deployed in landslide-prone areas of Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh. The system uses machine learning and sensors to detect ground movements and provide early warnings to authorities and the public.
Following devastating flash floods in Nepal, experts are calling for systematic scientific assessments of glaciers to understand and mitigate hazards, alongside the development of a robust land use policy for the Himalayan region. The floods, which killed over 460 people and left thousands missing, are believed to be linked to climate change impacts on glaciers and permafrost.
A massive landslide struck a private bus in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, killing at least 15 passengers. Rescue operations are underway.
Heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh have resulted in multiple fatalities and widespread disruption, including road closures and train cancellations.
Torrential monsoon rains unleashed widespread destruction across several parts of the country on Thursday, inundating roads, uprooting trees, damaging property and disrupting normal life as authorities scrambled to restore normalcy.
Since the onset of monsoon on June 20 to date, rain-related incidents have claimed 23 lives in the state, according to the state emergency operation centre.
A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) as well as the governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
The central government has approved additional financial assistance of 1,912.99 crore to five states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which were affected by various natural disasters in 2025.
Glimpses of the devastation caused by flash floods in Himachal Pradesh.
Landslides and flash floods triggered by incessant rain in Himachal Pradesh have paralysed normal life.
On Monday, August 14, 2023, at least 29 people were killed in Himachal Pradesh, nine of them buried under the rubble of a temple as rains wreaked havoc in the state, triggering landslides that blocked key roads and brought down houses.
Machinery and manpower have been deployed, but stones falling from the hills are obstructing the road opening work, the officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts above-normal rainfall for India in September, following a monsoon season marked by heavy downpours and related disasters in various regions. The forecast indicates normal to above-normal rainfall for most areas, with some exceptions in the northeast, east, extreme south peninsular India, and parts of northwest India.
Nitin Gadkari said AI will be used to detect landslides, waterlogging and accident-prone spots on highways, while highlighting logistics cost cuts and road safety initiatives
Monsoon hit the state on June 20 and has since then cost it Rs 5,000 crore in damages.
The meteorological centre in Shimla issued a 'red' alert on Sunday for very heavy downpour in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh, while services on the Shimla-Kalka rail line were suspended for hours till the debris and trees fallen on the tracks following overnight rains were removed.
Heavy rainfall across North India leads to fatalities, structural damage, travel disruptions, and school closures. Eastern states brace for more rain.
The district administrations of Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur have been put on alert following a warning for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in these districts on Sunday.
A tree on a mountain opposite the gurudwara got uprooted following a storm and landslide. It fell on some vehicles parked on the road, killing six and injuring three others.
'Within six months I expect petrol, diesel, and electric vehicles (EVs) to reach cost parity,' says Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
On the back of an aggressive asset monetisation push, the government will press the throttle on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model - under which private developers fund highway construction - for future highway development, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said.
Himachal Pradesh has been severely affected by flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides since the monsoon began. At least 52 people have died, and search operations are underway for those missing.
There was no response from Behera on the controversy. His comments attracted criticism from netizens.
Heavy rains across India have led to widespread flooding, causing damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, and disruption of normal life. Rescue efforts are underway in affected areas.
Rescue operations continued through Tuesday and Wednesday in Joshimath, Rudraprayag, Dehradun, Rishikesh, Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand and in Shimla, Chamoli, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, for those trapped by landslides.
Many people are feared trapped following two landslides at Shiv temple in the Summer Hill area and the Fagli area of Shimla city.
The maximum damage has been reported from Mandi, Kangra and Chamba districts, he said, adding that so far 36 weather-related incidents have been reported from the state.
Six people have died and around 10 people have been injured in heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh that triggered landslides and flash floods in several places in the state, according to official estimates.
Singh said that about 150 people including women and forest, revenue and other officials were present at the time of the incident, and if the officials were assaulted, "why are there no eyewitnesses".
The Army, National Disaster Response Force and local rescue teams have been called in for the rescue work, the Kinnaur deputy commissioner said.
A father and daughter in Himachal Pradesh displayed extraordinary bravery during recent flash floods, saving multiple lives. The floods caused widespread damage and loss of life in the Mandi district.
Incessant rains and flooding have caused widespread disruption in northern India, with states like Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir facing landslides, road closures, and displacement. Rescue efforts are underway as authorities grapple with the aftermath of the deluge.
