Beas River Overflows in Manali: Floods, Landslides, and Highway Damage Leave Hundreds Stranded in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi (India) August 26: In Manali, Himachal Pradesh, excessive rainfall causes floods and the River Beas to overflow. It sweeps away shops and homes. It causes buildings to collapse, cutting off highways and flooding various residential areas.

River Beas Floods Homes and Hotels

On Tuesday, a multi-story hotel and four stores in Manali were washed away by the strong River Beas waves. According to authorities, the Manali-Leh highway is blocked in multiple areas. The water also reaches the Alu Ground. Hundreds of locals have been left stranded in several places without power or connectivity.

A section of the highway in Raison has been destroyed. The highway part at Bindu Dhank, close to Manali is entirely destroyed. At Raison, traffic is being redirected to the link road on the Beas River's left bank.

Highways Blocked, Travelers Stranded

A part of the Manali-Leh highway is washed away at Vashisht Chowk. Meanwhile, travelers are forced to spend the night in their cars or within the highway tunnels as the Chandigarh-Manali highway remains blocked. This is for the third day in several areas close to Pandoh in the Mandi district. The alternate Mandi-Kamand-Kataula-Bajaura-Kullu connection road is still closed.

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reports that as of Monday evening, 795 roads are closed.

Essential Services Disrupted Across Himachal

Water and power services are badly impacted. Approximately 517 water supply schemes and 956 transformers are interrupted. The rescue teams work to lessen the effects of the floods. The residents in low-lying areas are advised to relocate to safer areas.

The flooded regions of states, particularly Punjab are caused by the swollen Himalayan rivers. In Ferozepur, residents have begun to evacuate, particularly from villages near rivers. The flood situation in Kapurthala district has gotten worse due to the two days of nonstop rain.

IMD Issues Red Alerts for North India

A number of warnings have been issued by the IMD in different parts of the country In Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Haryana. The red alerts are still in effect due to heavy rains and possible flooding. An Orange Alert has been issued for Chandigarh. It indicates moderate to heavy rainfall and related dangers. Several areas of North India will be under a Yellow Alert for the next two days. On August 29, more intense rain is predicted.

Residents in all impacted states have been advised to be extremely cautious by authorities. It is recommended that people avoid low-lying areas that are vulnerable to flooding. Landslides are still a major concern in hilly areas. Therefore, needless travel should be avoided. 

People who live in areas that are at risk must follow official warnings, leave if instructed, and keep up with local emergency bulletins. In order to respond to any potential emergencies, rescue teams and relief organizations are still placed throughout high-risk districts.