Himachal Pradesh faces first major monsoon blow with cloudburst in Lahaul, road blockades and one death in Mandi
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Shimla, 01 July 2026
Himachal Pradesh’s monsoon began on a disruptive note on Tuesday as a cloudburst in Lahaul’s Jispa area triggered flash floods that blocked the Leh-Manali National Highway for several hours. Officials said no lives were lost in Jispa, but the sudden surge in the Jahlma nallah forced rescuers to evacuate villagers with the help of ropes and damaged cabbage and pea crops in nearby fields. The Leh-Manali route remained shut through the night while machines cleared debris, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on either side.
In Mandi district, heavy rain led to a fatal incident near Aut when boulders rolled down a hillside and struck a woman from Nalagarh near the Shani temple. Mandi ASP Abhimanyu confirmed the death and urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and to stop only at safe locations during inclement weather.
Across the state, continuous rain caused multiple landslides that cut off key stretches, including the Chamba-Tissa road, Dharampur-Jogindernagar road and the Mehli-Shoghi section near Shimla.
The State Disaster Management Authority said 45 roads were disrupted on Tuesday, with restoration work continuing through Wednesday.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain over the next six days and has issued Yellow and Orange alerts for several districts.
The administration has asked residents and tourists to stay away from rivers, nalas and unstable slopes and to follow weather advisories.
Himachal has seen similar early-monsoon damage in recent years.
In July 2023, cloudbursts and landslides in Mandi, Kullu and Shimla washed out sections of the Chandigarh-Manali highway and caused widespread loss of life and property. In August 2022, prolonged rain in Shimla led to building collapses that highlighted the risks of construction on steep, unstable slopes. Cloudbursts in Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu valleys are a recurring pattern, where narrow gorges and loose terrain often turn brief, intense rain into sudden flash floods that damage roads, bridges and farmland within minutes.
Officials said priority is being given to reopening the Leh-Manali highway and other arterial roads, but warned that fresh slides are possible if the rains persist.
