Flood Fury in Manali: Leh Highway Washed Away, Buildings Collapse as Beas Rages

A devastating wave of floods has struck Manali in Himachal Pradesh, with torrential rains causing the Beas River to overflow its banks, sweeping away buildings, and cutting off crucial highways. A multi-storey hotel, shops, and houses were washed away by the ferocious currents on Tuesday, as the deluge inundated several residential areas, leaving hundreds of people stranded without power or connectivity.

The scale of the destruction is immense. In the Bahang area of Manali, a two-storey building was swept away by the floodwaters, while several restaurants and shops also collapsed under the river’s onslaught. Dramatic visuals showed a fully-loaded heavy-duty truck being carried away by the raging torrent as it attempted to cross a flooded section of road. The vital Manali-Leh highway has been washed away in several places and has been closed for all traffic until further notice, effectively isolating parts of the region.

The flood fury extends beyond Manali. In Mandi, two buildings housing nearly 40 shops collapsed, though they had been evacuated earlier after being declared unsafe. Water from the Beas River also entered homes in Patlikuhal, submerging a fish farm and a factory, with goods seen floating away in the currents. The Shimla district administration has ordered the closure of all schools as a precautionary measure due to the incessant rainfall and the risk of landslides.

The Meteorological Department has issued a ‘red’ alert for the districts of Kangra, Chamba, and Lahaul-Spiti, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. An ‘orange’ alert is in place for several other districts, including Kullu and Mandi. This year’s monsoon has been particularly catastrophic for Himachal Pradesh.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, at least 156 people have died in rain-related incidents since June 20, with 38 others still missing. The disaster is part of a wider crisis affecting the Himalayan region, with neighboring Jammu and Kashmir also hit by landslides that have forced the suspension of the pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.