A large volume of debris fell from the steep hills adjacent to Merut Nallah around 6 am, trapping two vehicles in the rubble. Additionally, the Ribba-Kanda link road was obstructed due to flooding in the Ribba drain. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities, Deputy Commissioner Amit Sharma informed PTI.
A JCB machine was promptly engaged at Choling for restoration efforts, allowing the highway to be reopened for vehicular movement by approximately 10 am, he added.
As reported by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), a total of 60 roads were closed throughout the state due to rainfall as of Friday morning, alongside interruptions affecting 48 electricity transformers and 27 water supply schemes.
Additionally, 24 pilgrims stranded near a temple in the Bharmour subdivision of Chamba district have been successfully rescued. Flash floods caused by heavy rain had washed away a temporary wooden bridge, hindering access to the temple.
A collaborative rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local authorities, the mountaineering institute, and the Public Works Department (PWD) rescued the devotees on Thursday, who had been stranded since Wednesday.
The rescued pilgrims requested the Chamba district administration to establish a proper path to improve access to the temple.
Moderate rainfall affected various parts of the state since Thursday evening, with Baldwara in Mandi district recording 32 mm, followed by Sarahan (27 mm), Bilaspur (25.8 mm), Shimla (19.5 mm), Berthin (18.6 mm), Slapper (18 mm), and Murari Devi (16 mm).
Thunderstorms and lightning were also reported in Shimla and Sundernagar.
The Shimla Met office issued an orange alert, cautioning against heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas on July 4 and 5.
(Edited by : Megha Rani)
First Published: Jul 3, 2026 12:05 PM IST
