Shimla/Mumbai, 16 Sept

Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra have triggered landslides, flash floods, and house collapses, leaving six people dead, one missing and forcing large-scale evacuations, officials said on Tuesday.

Himachal Pradesh

In Mandi district, a house collapsed following a landslide, killing three members of a family, including two women and a child. Two others were rescued with critical injuries.

Flash floods in Dharampur submerged the main bus stand, damaged shops, workshops and houses, and swept away more than 20 Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses. One person has been reported missing.

Shimla, which recorded 141 mm of rainfall in 12 hours, witnessed landslides that buried vehicles and blocked the circular road, causing major inconvenience to commuters. Reports of landslides and uprooted trees also came in from other parts of the city.

Across the state, over 650 roads, including three national highways, have been closed. Power and water supply have been disrupted, with 1,250 transformers and 160 schemes affected. Officials said Himachal has seen 412 rain-related deaths since June and suffered losses of more than Rs 4,500 crore.

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, three people died in the last 24 hours, two in Beed district and one in Nagpur, as heavy rains lashed Marathwada and Vidarbha.

Beed recorded 143.7 mm of rain, followed by Nanded with 131.6 mm and Jalna with 121.4 mm. Flooded rivers and overflowing drains inundated low-lying areas, forcing the evacuation of more than 120 people.

The National Disaster Response Force has deployed 12 teams across the state, supported by police, fire brigades and local volunteers. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reviewed the situation in Beed, where a survey of losses is underway.

Authorities said 3.42 lakh cusecs of water were released from 11 major irrigation projects in Marathwada. Dams, rivers and vulnerable villages are under close watch, with warnings issued in several districts as the monsoon remains active.