Four killed, 16 missing after flash floods hit Himachal’s Mandi district

Over the reporting period, Mandi district recorded 253.8 mm (9.9 inches) of rainfall. The Beas River breached safe levels, prompting emergency release of 4 250–530 m³/s (150 000–160 000 ft³/s) of water from Pandoh Dam. Multiple villages were inundated, including low-lying residential and market zones.

The worst-affected subdivision was Gohar, where two people died in Bada village following a double cloudburst. Three others are missing after homes were swept away in nearby Talwara.

In Karsog, two additional deaths were reported, one in the old market and another in the central bazaar. Additional flooding affected Jogindernagar (Neri–Kotla), where one body was recovered. In Siyanj Panchayat, flash floods from a Beas tributary displaced families and left four people missing.

Across the district, 10 homes and 12 cowsheds were destroyed while at least 26 cattle perished. Landslides and floodwaters cut off transport access on several national highways, including the Kiratpur–Manali and Mandi–Kullu corridors.

A total of 139 roads were blocked within the district, while statewide disruptions affected over 250 roads, 130 water schemes, and 614 transformers.

Rescue efforts by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district police, home guards, and local Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) enabled the evacuation of 287 individuals. Of these, 233 were rescued from Mandi district alone. Key evacuation zones included Jayuni, Talwara, Purani Mandi, and the Pandoh market area. Tertiary education campuses in Karsog were also cleared.

State authorities issued red and orange rainfall alerts across central Himachal and ordered the closure of schools and colleges. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed round-the-clock monitoring and reinforcement of relief operations across Mandi and adjoining high-risk districts.

The meteorological sequence that triggered the event included intense convective development over the middle Himalayas, where orographic uplift during an active monsoon phase led to isolated but severe cloudbursts. Ground data indicate short-duration rainfall extremes, a typical precursor to flash flooding in narrow valley topography like that of Mandi.

Himachal Pradesh has reported at least 23 deaths in rain-related incidents since late June, with significant impacts also recorded in Shimla, Kullu, Kangra, and Chamba districts. The southwest monsoon is expected to remain active over northern India, prompting ongoing monitoring by state and national weather authorities.

References:

¹ 4 killed, 16 missing as heavy monsoon rains trigger floods in northern India – AA – July 1, 2025

Reet Kaur

I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.

This author does not have any more posts.