Himachal Pradesh In Crisis: Landslides Wipe Out Roads, Forcing School Shutdowns

Solan (The Hawk): In the wake of heavy overnight rains, Himachal Pradesh has been grappling with landslides that have led to the closure of numerous roads, with more than 530 routes, including the significant Shimla-Chandigarh highway, now impassable. Additionally, certain homes in the Solan district have suffered damage due to the impact. As a result of the ongoing landslides and continuous rainfall, various educational institutions across multiple districts of Himachal Pradesh will remain closed on 23 August.
The state's road network has taken a substantial hit, with a staggering 530 roads inaccessible due to landslides, and this number continues to rise. Key routes like the Shimla-Chandigarh National Highway-5 have been blocked due to a landslide at Chakki Mor in the Solan district. Similarly, the Kullu-Mandi National Highway-21 in the Mandi district is obstructed due to a landslide near Pandoh, and the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway-154 also finds itself closed off in the Mandi district.
The State Disaster Management Authority reports that 530 roads, including three National Highways, have been rendered unusable due to the ongoing landslides. Mandi district faces the most severe disruptions, with around 213 roads closed. Other neighbourhoods also bear the brunt – Solan, Shimla, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Kullu districts are all experiencing varying degrees of road closures.
In the village of Shatal, along the Sabathu-Solan road near Devthi, several houses have suffered damage due to gushing waters entering homes. In the Sabathu area, the landslide has caused harm to both houses and vehicles.
The impact of the landslides extends to Shimla's urban areas as well. Mall Road, a bustling hub, was struck by significant debris. In another incident, a private bus near Shimla's ISBT was hit by a landslide, fortunately without any loss of life.
Notably, a landslide near the forest colony of Khalini has resulted in the blockage of the Jhanjhidi to Khalini road. This incident has left the road impassable for traffic, inconveniencing commuters.
Similar incidents have also been reported in the BCS area, where heavy trees have collapsed due to landslides. This unfortunate event has led to the road's closure, causing inconvenience to the local population. Additionally, the landslides have caused slight damage to three nearby vehicles.
Further adversity struck as a cloudburst in Kataula, located in Mandi district. This occurrence added to the ongoing challenges faced by the region.
Beyond the roads and homes, the landslides have also disrupted critical infrastructure, including drinking water schemes. Around 214 drinking water schemes in the state have been affected, with the highest number of stalls seen in Mandi (91), Shimla (73), and Bilaspur (47).
Power supply across the state has also taken a hit, with many transformers facing issues. As many as 2,897 transformers have faults, resulting in power failure in several regions. Mandi district is particularly affected, with 1,142 transformers down, while other districts like Shimla, Solan, Hamirpur, Sirmaur, and Kullu are also grappling with power outages due to faulty transformers.