Flash Floods Hit Himachal’s Kinnaur, Block NH-5, No Casualties

Himachal Pradesh: Flash floods ravage Kinnaur, block NH-5, cut off rural link road; no casualties reported

Kinnaur, July 3

While several vehicles were damaged, authorities confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported.

According to the district administration, a flash flood struck the Cholling area at around 4 am after intense overnight rainfall caused a massive surge in the Miru Nallah. Large quantities of debris, boulders and slush engulfed nearly a 30-metre stretch of NH-5 near Cholling School, completely blocking the highway and bringing traffic to a standstill.

Two light motor vehicles were trapped in the debris flow and sustained damage. However, all occupants were rescued safely, averting any loss of life.

The closure of NH-5, the lifeline connecting Kinnaur with the rest of Himachal Pradesh and the Indo-Tibet border region, resulted in long queues of stranded vehicles on both sides of the highway. Road restoration teams equipped with heavy machinery were immediately deployed to clear the debris and restore traffic at the earliest.

In another rain-related incident, flash floods in the Ribba Khad damaged sections of the Ribba-Kande link road, snapping connectivity to the area. A few small vehicles suffered partial damage, but no casualties were reported.

Police personnel, district officials and disaster response teams rushed to both affected locations and launched rescue, traffic management and restoration operations. Authorities said efforts were underway on a war footing to reopen the blocked routes as quickly as possible.

Superintendent of Police, Kinnaur, Sushil Kumar, said the situation was being closely monitored and urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas.

Sushil Kumar said, "Continuous rainfall has triggered flash floods and heavy debris flow at multiple locations in the district. Police and administrative teams are on the ground coordinating relief, traffic regulation and restoration work. We appeal to residents, commuters and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers and nallahs, and strictly follow official advisories until the weather improves."

"The restoration work is in progress and will be restored for vehicular movement soon," the SP said.

Meanwhile, the district administration has issued an advisory urging panchayat representatives, residents and tourists to remain vigilant during the ongoing monsoon season. People have been advised to avoid riverbanks, streams, landslide-prone stretches and other vulnerable locations, refrain from unnecessary travel or trekking, and immediately report any emergency to the district administration or disaster management authorities.

Officials said restoration work on NH-5 was progressing on priority, with every effort being made to resume normal traffic movement at the earliest while ensuring the safety of commuters.

— ANI