Four killed, 16 missing after flash floods hit Himachal’s Mandi district
Flash floods triggered by multiple cloudbursts killed 4 people and left 16 missing across Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district from the evening of June 30 into July 1, 2025. Heavy monsoon rains caused 11 cloudbursts and 4 flash floods within 15 hours, severely damaging homes, roads, and public infrastructure.
Image credit: DD News
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.
Mandi: Due to very heavy rainfall in the region, the Beas River is experiencing severe flooding.
— DD News (@DDNewslive) July 1, 2025
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in #HimachalPradesh.@Indiametdept pic.twitter.com/juI9lh0lUN
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 is a science journalist and researcher with a keen focus on extreme weather, space phenomena, and climate-related issues. With a strong foundation in astronomy and a history of environmental activism, she approaches every story with a sharp scientific lens and a deep sense of purpose. Driven by a lifelong love for writing, and a curiosity about the universe, Reet brings urgency and insight to some of the most important scientific developments of our time.
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