Himachal Pradesh Floods

Since torrential monsoon rains arrived over Himachal Pradesh on June 20, 2026, cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides have battered villages across the state's high Himalayan districts. State Disaster Management Authority figures released in early July put weather-related fatalities in the dozens and rising, with additional deaths from associated road accidents; Mandi district alone has recorded more than 40 rain-related deaths, followed by Kangra, Kullu and Shimla. A cloudburst in Kinnaur district's Thach village triggered flash floods that swept away vehicles, damaged houses and destroyed apple orchards, and a separate cloudburst in Kullu's Jagatkhana forced residents to flee overnight.

Infrastructure damage across the hill state has been extensive. More than 200 roads were blocked in Kullu alone, cutting off key stretches of NH-03 between Manali and the Atal Tunnel and NH-305 between Anni and Jalori. Dozens of distribution transformers have been knocked out and drinking-water supply schemes disrupted across multiple districts. Cumulative losses to public and private property crossed ₹15 crore by the first week of July as the debris count kept climbing.

On July 6, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a ₹1,500 crore aid package for the state, along with ex-gratia payments of ₹2 lakh to families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. The Centre had already cleared an initial tranche of ₹288.39 crore in flood relief. Indian Army personnel have joined the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire services and district administrations in round-the-clock rescue and clearance operations, airlifting stranded villagers and delivering supplies to cut-off communities. Relief kits have been distributed to more than 600 families, tentage accommodation set up for displaced households in Manali, and materials donated for six Bailey bridges to reconnect isolated hamlets. The Indian Red Cross Society, together with international responders including CARE and Save the Children, is supporting shelter, hygiene, child-protection and psychosocial services in relief camps as the monsoon rains continue and the India Meteorological Department warns of more heavy downpours to come.