One pilgrim lost his life, while more than 700 others were safely rescued from the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra route in Himachal Pradesh, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
On August 5, around 402 pilgrims who had started their yatra from Malling Khata village got stranded due to bad weather. Rescue teams managed to bring 177 of them back to Malling Khata village the same day. However, worsening weather conditions and rising water levels in a stream forced 225 others to take shelter in a cave.
A rescue team led by the Naib Tehsildar of Kalpa and Forest Department officials was sent through the Purvani route on Tuesday evening. A temporary shelter was set up at the Shongtong Army Camp, where 183 rescued pilgrims have already arrived.
“All of them are safe, and arrangements have been made for their meals. In addition, they are being provided medical facilities at the hospital. The remaining stranded people are also being rescued and brought directly to the army camp,” said Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Dr. Amit Sharma.
In another rescue, 417 pilgrims stranded at Malling Khata were rescued by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Kinnaur Tourism Authority (KTA). They had been stuck after two bridges on the Kangrang nallah were washed away in a flashflood triggered by a cloudburst.
Rescue teams worked overnight to move everyone to safe locations.
Meanwhile, heavy rain has continued to disrupt life across Himachal Pradesh. A total of 617 roads, including four national highways, were closed due to landslides and flooding. Mandi district, already reeling from recent cloudbursts and landslides, accounted for 377 road closures, while Kullu district reported 90.
Key highways like the Chandigarh-Manali (NH-21), Old Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH-05), Mandi-Dharampur (NH-3), and Aut-Sainj Road (NH-305) have all been closed for traffic after the landslides. However, the Shimla-Kalka highway was cleared at Chakki Mor in Solan district.
In many areas, traffic jams have added to commuter woes. Schools, colleges, and anganwadis remained closed in many subdivisions across Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, and Solan districts. Some schools in Shimla city opted for online classes. Many schools in Shimla city announced holidays or switched to online classes.
Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) warned residents about possible water supply disruptions for the next two to three days due to high turbidity levels at the sources.
Since the monsoon began on June 20, Himachal has suffered extensive damage. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported losses of ₹1,852 crore. A total of 108 people have died in rain-related incidents, 36 remain missing, and 1,738 houses have been either fully or partially damaged.
In addition, 1,491 power transformers and 265 water supply schemes have been affected. So far, the state has witnessed 55 flashfloods, 28 cloudbursts, and 48 major landslides this monsoon season.
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