12 hours of fury: Cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides ravage Himachal without claiming lives
Shimla, Aug 14,
Himachal Pradesh reeled under the impact of intense monsoon activity on August 14, 2025, as the state endured a chain of weather disasters that crippled connectivity, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced communities—but without any confirmed human casualties so far. In a rare convergence of extreme weather events within just 12 hours, authorities recorded three cloudbursts, three flash floods, four floods, two landslides, and one suspected drowning, underscoring how rapidly the hill state’s terrain is becoming more vulnerable to sudden downpours.
The most disruptive blow came from a cloudburst in Nanti Ganvi, Rampur (Shimla district), which forced the evacuation of the Ganvi River valley. Two sheds were washed away, six more were left inundated and at risk, three homes were buried in silt, and even the local police post was declared at risk. The collapse of a motorable bridge linked to the Ganvi HEP of HPSEBL has effectively cut off multiple villages—Ganvi, Kiao, Koot, Kinfi, Kutru, Suru Roopni, Khanidhar, and Kheuncha—across three gram panchayats.
Kinnaur district also bore the brunt when a flash flood at Hojo Nallah in Pooh swept away two campers, a Bolero, a JCB, a tipper, and a bailey bridge. Meanwhile, a separate flood in Changreji Khadd, Tashigang, washed away irrigation channels and pipelines critical to the local farming community, prompting on-ground assessment teams to act swiftly.
In Kullu, a drowning case in Chowki, Manikaran left one person missing in the Parvati River. A cloudburst in Bathad tore through the area, sweeping away at least three to four cottages and vehicles, while a flash flood at Kurpan Khad, Baghipul caused disruption but no major reported damage.
Lahaul & Spiti reported multiple simultaneous incidents—flash floods near Jahalman, a cloudburst at Munni Nallah that blocked roads and damaged a bridge abutment, a flood near Khurik that halted traffic on NH-505, and separate floods at Dared Nallah and Shakoli Nallah that left link roads impassable.
Sirmaur’s Rajgarh region was hit by a landslide that killed four cattle, injured another, damaged a cowshed, and swept a parked car nearly 100 metres down a slope.
By the end of the day, the official toll on infrastructure stood at eight bridges damaged, one national highway blocked, multiple roads rendered unusable, 12 vehicles wrecked, six sheds and four cottages destroyed, alongside the loss of four cattle. Restoration crews are racing against time to reopen blocked routes and restore essential services before further weather events strike.
Officials have warned that the frequency and clustering of such high-intensity rain events in a matter of hours is a growing concern, as it signals a shift towards more unpredictable and destructive monsoon patterns in the Himalayan region—a development with serious implications for both local livelihoods and disaster preparedness.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.