Image Source: Agencies

July 29, 2025: Early on Tuesday, torrential rains caused a massive landslide near Kangra, obstructing the National Highway to Dharamsala and leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. The delivery of milk and newspapers, two essential services, were disrupted. No officials reached the site for hours, sparking public anger.
Three people died and one person was missing in Mandi as a result of flash floods brought on by overnight rainfall. The flood swept away vehicles and damaged homes in Tungal Colony. Rescue operations are ongoing.
Several key roads, including the Chandigarh-Manali and Mandi-Pathankot highways, remain blocked.

According to Mandi DC Apoorv Devgan, a devastating flash flood that struck the district early on Tuesday morning killed three people, left one person missing, and injured another. The incident occurred on Jail Road Tungal colony in Mandi town following a sudden deluge triggered by heavy overnight rain that destroyed a lot of land. The flashflood, according to authorities in the area, washed away dozens of parked vehicles, while muck and debris entered homes and destroyed property. The sudden rise in water levels surprised the residents. According to Palace Colony ward councilor Hardeep Singh Raja, the tragedy occurred when four family members attempted to move their vehicle to a safer location in the early hours. Three of them were carried away as a powerful surge of floodwater swept through the area at that very instant. A family member was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition after breaking his leg. Two bodies have been retrieved by rescue teams thus far, and efforts to locate the missing person are ongoing. The district administration, the SDRF, and local volunteers are helping affected residents and clearing debris.

In addition to the human casualties, the region's connectivity has been severely disrupted by flash floods and landslides. At four and nine miles, respectively, close to Pandoh, the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway has been closed, isolating traffic between Mandi and Kullu. A landslide at the Lavandi Bridge close to Jogindernagar has resulted in the closure of the Mandi-Pathankot highway as well. Several other interior roads in the district have also been rendered impassable due to landslides and waterlogging. Residents have been urged to stay inside and not travel unless absolutely necessary by authorities. Relief measures, including temporary shelters, medical assistance, and food supplies, are being provided to those affected by the situation, which is being closely monitored by district officials. Large landslide close to Kangra: In the early hours of Tuesday, a massive landslide caused by incessant rains blocked the National Highway near Kangra, denying Dharamsala, McLeodganj, and the surrounding areas their only main road access. On both sides of the highway, hundreds of vehicles were stranded as a result, causing significant disruptions to traffic and essential services. According to the available information, the landslide occurred around 3 a.m. after two days of unrelenting rainfall in the region. Several stretches of the road were buried under mounds of debris and loose rocks. Newspaper delivery vans were among the stranded vehicles, which severely impacted the region's early morning newspaper distribution.

On the highway, the milk delivery and other essential goods supply vehicles were also stranded. For several hours, no one from the district administration, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), or the state Public Works Department (PWD) reached the location, despite the seriousness of the situation.
There was no immediate effort to clear the debris, leaving commuters and tourists helpless amid continuing rainfall.
I've been trapped here since 4 a.m. The driver of a newspaper delivery vehicle traveling toward Dharamsala with a load of supplies stated, "There is no information from the authorities, and the road is completely blocked." During the monsoon season, the hill state's road infrastructure is once more exposed by a blocked highway. When the road is anticipated to be cleared and traffic restored, the administration has not yet issued an official statement. The threat of additional landslides and disruptions in the region is growing as the weather service predicts additional rain over the next 48 hours.