A flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in the Tosh Nallah in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district washed away a footbridge and three temporary shops, including a liquor shop, on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred in the Tosh area of Manikaran, but thankfully no loss of life was reported.
Deputy Commissioner of Kullu, Torul S Raveesh, confirmed the incident and said a team was sent to the spot to assess the situation. Speaking to ANI, she said, “In the early morning hours, there was a cloudburst in Tosh village. The footbridge and 2-3 temporary shops, including a wine shop have been washed away. No loss of life has been reported. Teams have reached the spot for restoration.”
The Deputy Commissioner urged residents to exercise caution, stating, “Our appeal to the people is to stay away from rivers and rivulets and do not make temporary structures near nallahs.” She also emphasized that construction activity is prohibited during the monsoon season and warned of strict action against violators.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a warning about intensified monsoon activity in Himachal Pradesh, predicting increased intensity and distribution of rainfall over the next four to five days. The IMD press release stated, “Monsoon activity is likely to increase in intensity and distribution over the next 4-5 days, with widespread moderate precipitation, occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms or lightning. Peak intensity is expected on July 31 and August 1.”
According to the IMD, heavy rainfall is expected at one or two places in the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kullu, Solan, Shimla, and Sirmaur from July 29 to August 3. The IMD also predicted spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in the districts of Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur on July 31 and August 1. The average minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to remain normal during this period.
The IMD issued a warning about potential landslides and flash floods in vulnerable areas of the Kullu, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, and Kinnaur districts. They also anticipated traffic disruptions in major cities due to waterlogging on roads, leading to increased travel time. The IMD advised providing mechanical support for horticultural crops and staking for vegetables, and warned of possible damage to vulnerable structures, kutcha houses, walls, and huts. They also mentioned the chances of localized landslides, mudslides, landslips, mud slips, landsinks, and mudsinks. The IMD advised authorities to make provisions for draining excess water from crop fields to avoid water stagnation, and warned of occasional reductions in visibility due to heavy rainfall and fog.
