Newlyweds die as boulder hits house in Chamba amid heavy rain in Himachal

471 roads, including 310 in Mandi district, remain blocked in Himachal Pradesh due to landslides; schools closed at Thunag in Mandi besides Kumarsain, Theog, Rohru, Jubbal, and Chopal in Shimla.

A newlywed couple was killed when a boulder hit their house in Chamba district early on Monday, while normal life was thrown out of gear in Himachal Pradesh as heavy rainfall led to landslides blocking 471 roads, forcing the closure of educational institutions, officials said.

People negotiating debris on foot as a landslide blocked the Tutu-Kunihar road after heavy rain in Solan district on Monday. (HT Photo)

A vehicle buried under the debris after a landslide at a Thalot petrol station in Aut tehsil of Mandi district on Monday. (HT Photo)

Chamba deputy commissioner Mukesh Repaswal said a landslide hit two houses at Chari village of Chamba between 3am and 4 am. “A massive boulder crashed into the house where the couple was asleep, causing it to collapse. They had got married three months ago and were visiting the woman’s parental house at Chari when the incident occurred. We have recovered the bodies.”

A newlywed couple died as a landslide hit their house during heavy rain in Chamba district early on Monday. (HT Photo)

In Sirmaur, National Highway (NH) 707 is blocked near Uttari due to falling debris.

Due to continuous rainfall, schools have been closed in several parts of the state, including Thunag sub-division in Mandi besides Kumarsain, Theog, Rohru, Jubbal, and Chopal in Shimla district.

A portion of the tree that fell on the Sanjauli-Lakkar Bazaar road, disrupting traffic and damaging parked vehicles in Shimla on Monday. (HT Photo)

A tree was uprooted due to continuous rainfall near Sanjauli on the outskirts of Shimla, causing to vehicles getting damaged and traffic getting disrupted. The forest department team is clearing the area, but persistent rain continues to hamper operations.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Shimla, Sirmaur, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts on Monday. Heavy showers were reported from several parts of the state since Sunday night.

A parked vehicle buried under the debris after a landslide near Chaura Maidan in Shimla on Monday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

Officials have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in forested and hill areas prone to tree falls and landslides.

Monsoon has wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh this monsoon with Mandi district being the worst-hit.

A private bus caught in debris after a flashflood on the Sangraha-Chadna road in Sirmaur district on Monday. Passengers escaped unhurt. (HT Photo)

So far, 15 people have been killed in Mandi after recent cloudburst and flashflood incidents, while 27 remain missing. Since the onset of monsoon on June 20, 125 people have lost lives in Himachal Pradesh.