Youth swept away during Mani Mahesh Yatra

Chamba — A tragic landslide claimed the life of a young man at Tikkar Nala on Lahadu-Nurpur road in Chamba district late Sunday night. The incident took place around midnight when the young man, identified as Jasbir, son of Jeet Singh and a resident of Daulatpur in Una, was swept away by the debris of the landslide during a heavy downpour.

Jasbir was one of seven friends on the holy Mani Mahesh Yatra when their car got stuck in the mud at Tikkar Nala. While trying to free the vehicle, Jasbir got out to push it, but a sudden landslide from the hill above caught him and dragged him into a ditch along with the debris. His body was recovered the next morning.

The incident highlights the dangers faced by travellers in Himachal Pradesh during the monsoon season, as landslides and flash floods become increasingly common.

The state was recently hit by heavy rains, leading to landslides and road blockages in several areas. As of Monday morning, traffic on 146 roads across the state, including major roads in Shimla, Kullu and Mandi districts, remains disrupted. In addition, 301 power transformers and 20 water supply systems have been disrupted, posing further challenges for residents and authorities.

The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a yellow alert for heavy rains for several parts of Himachal Pradesh from August 19 to 21. The weather is expected to remain unstable till August 25, with further landslides and disturbances likely.