Landslide damages vehicles in Shimla as monsoon hits Himachal

Orange alert for heavy rain forecast in most parts of Himachal Pradesh; landslides in Kullu and Kinnaur districts, small bridge in Kangra washed away; leave applications of PWD employees cancelled.

4 min readShimlaUpdated: Jun 28, 2024 07:23 PM IST

Shimla, Shimla rains, rains, Shimla weather, rain alert, Kullu, landslides, landslips, Kinnaur, indian express

Tourist destinations such as Mashobra received 38 mm of rainfall, Kufri and Shilaroo 24.2 mm, Karsog 18.2 mm, and Pandoh 12 mm, IMD stated. The lowest rainfall, 1.0 mm, was received at Solan.

Monsoon hit several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday triggering landslides in Shimla, Kullu and Kinnaur districts. The weather department has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in most parts of the state.

Eight vehicles in Shimla were damaged as concrete-rock debris slid from the hill and landed on the parked vehicles at Malyana area. No one was hurt in the incident, the police said. Roads were blocked and traffic came to a standstill following landslides in Kullu and Kinnaur districts. A small bridge at Indora in Kangra was washed away in the rain, they added.

Heavy rainfall persisted in Shimla until 2 am on Friday with Jubbarhatti, where the domestic airport in Himachal Pradesh is located, receiving 136 mm of rainfall. Other parts of the district received 84.3 mm of rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Local residents in Shimla claimed that it was a man-made landslide caused by choked drainage. “Yesterday night, Shimla received the first monsoon rain. Minor landslides were expected. At Malyana, the landslide was a man-made tragedy. People have choked the drainage with dumping garbage, concrete waste in the drainage. Moreover, a sewage pipeline was also broken at the Housing Board Colony (HBC) at Malyana. We have sent the rescue workers along with a JCB machine on the spot,” Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan told The Indian Express.

Eight vehicles in Shimla were damaged as concrete-rock debris slid from the hill and landed on the parked vehicles at Malyana area. (Express Photo)

Shimla Municipal Corporation and Public Works Department officials are at work, clearing the debris as early as possible, Chauhan said.

The IMD has forecast heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms in Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur, Chamba, Sirmaur and Solan districts in the next 72 hours.

Tourist destinations such as Mashobra received 38 mm of rainfall, Kufri and Shilaroo 24.2 mm, Karsog 18.2 mm, and Pandoh 12 mm, IMD stated. The lowest rainfall, 1.0 mm, was received at Solan.

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An official with the IMD in Shimla said, “Indeed, an average monsoon was predicted this time, but heavy to very heavy rainfalls are on the cards in Himachal Pradesh. Heavy to very heavy rainfalls fall in the category of 64.5 mm to 204.4 mm”.

The rains also brought down the minimum temperature to 8.1 degrees Celsius at Kukumseri in the Lahaul and Spiti district, while Shimla recorded a temperature of 16 degrees. Dehra Gopipur in Kangra district recorded the highest temperature at 34 degrees Celsius.

Local residents in Shimla claimed that it was a man-made landslide caused by choked drainage. (Express Photo)

Meanwhile, the weather department has forecast heavy rain along with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places across the state in the next six days.

The state also experienced gusty winds blowing at a speed between 29.6 km/hour and 64.75 km/hour. Gusty winds with a speed of 64.75 km/h were recorded in Reckong Peo in the Kinnaur district.

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To deal with monsoon-related emergencies, the Himachal Pradesh government has deployed small units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, and Sirmaur districts, arranged satellite phones for rescue workers and deployed 206 JCBs throughout the 12 districts of the hill state, among other measures.

The leave applications of Public Works Department (PWD) employees have already been cancelled, except for emergency situations and 13,000 employees have been instructed to remain on standby duty throughout the one-and-a-half-month-long monsoon season starting July.

“We have deployed approximately 350 heavy machines, including 206 JCBs, 110 bulldozers, and 17 temporary Bailey bridges across the rural and urban areas of 12 districts. The areas that were worst affected in last year’s monsoon are given special attention,” PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh told reporters on Thursday.

During the 2023 monsoon fury, at least 404 people in Himachal Pradesh lost their lives, and over 1,000 were injured, besides the loss of government and private property worth thousands of crores of rupees. Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, and Sirmaur districts were the worst affected in last year’s rains.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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