Manali and several parts of Himachal Pradesh were battered by relentless rainfall on Tuesday, triggering floods that caused the River Beas to swell and wreak havoc across the region. Shops, houses, and even multi-storey buildings were swept away, highways collapsed, and entire residential areas were left submerged under gushing waters.
#WATCH | Manali, Himachal Pradesh | A portion of the Chandigarh-Manali Highway was washed away as the Beas River flows in spate.
Source: Kullu police pic.twitter.com/QNTc9QOXrP
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2025
In Manali, the ferocious currents of the Beas carried away a multi-storey hotel and four shops. Floodwaters entered Alu Ground and blocked several stretches of the Manali–Leh highway, stranding hundreds of residents without connectivity or electricity. In Bahang, a two-storey building was washed away, while two restaurants and two shops collapsed in the raging waters. Officials reported widespread damage, though no casualties have been confirmed so far.
The devastation was not limited to Manali. In Patlikuhal, rising waters inundated homes, a fish farm, and a factory. Strong currents swept away goods from a block factory, which were later spotted floating across different locations. Nearby, floodwaters from the Ghanvi Khud also entered residential areas in Kullu. Large portions of the Kullu–Manali highway were washed away, forcing authorities to suspend traffic along the Leh–Manali route until further notice.
In Mandi district, two buildings housing around 40 shops collapsed after days of heavy downpour. Fortunately, the structures had already been vacated when they were declared unsafe, averting potential tragedy. Flash floods were also reported from Kanvi village in Kinnaur, while Shimla witnessed landslides, uprooted trees, and blocked roads. Authorities in Shimla ordered the closure of all government and private schools on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Kangra, Chamba, and Lahaul-Spiti, predicting very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert remains in place for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla. Officials warned that more landslides, flash floods, and disruptions are likely as the monsoon continues.
This year’s monsoon has already proven devastating for Himachal Pradesh, with multiple fatalities reported due to flash floods, landslides, and drowning incidents. Repeated damage to road networks, electricity lines, and water schemes has further deepened the crisis in the hill state, underscoring its fragile vulnerability to extreme weather.
