A portion of National Highway-3 was shut to traffic after a cloudburst caused a flash flood in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, police reported on Thursday. The incident, which occurred late Wednesday, has not resulted in any casualties so far. The affected stretch of the highway, between Dhundi and Palchan Bridge—part of the Leh-Manali Road—was hit by the cloudburst at Anjani Mahadev nullah in the Manali region.
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Vehicles traveling to Manali from Lahaul and Spiti via the north portal of the Atal Tunnel have been redirected to Rohtang, according to an advisory from the Lahaul and Spiti police on Thursday. The advisory also urged commuters to travel only if absolutely necessary, drive with caution, and remain vigilant about potential hazards along the route.
A total of 15 roads, including 12 in Mandi, two in Kinnaur and one in Kangra district were closed for vehicular traffic while 62 transformers were disrupted in the state on Wednesday night, the state emergency operation centre said.
Reports indicate that a power project and several houses may have been damaged, though officials are still assessing the extent of the damage. On Wednesday, the local Met office issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain in isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh through July 28. The alert warns of potential damage to plantations, standing crops, vulnerable structures, and 'kutcha' houses, as well as risks of waterlogging in low-lying areas due to strong winds and heavy rainfall.