Nine houses were evacuated in Himachal’s Mandi district after a landslide damaged a cowshed and left boulders threatening Ropdu village. Fresh weather warnings and more rain loom. In Kullu, a second landslide in two days has raised fears, with residents demanding long-term safety measures.
At least nine houses were evacuated on Sunday in Himachal Pradesh’s Ropdu village after a massive landslide rocked the area, news agency PTI reported.
Following intermittent rains over the last three days in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, a landslide occurred today in Kotli subdivision. The report suggests that a cow shed was completely damaged. Large boulders along with debris remain dangerously lodged on the hillside, posing an ongoing and serious threat to the village below.
After the incident occurred, officials and the former village head (Pradhan) rushed to the site and ordered the evacuation of the nine houses that were endangered. Hill-cutting work is currently underway at the location over the village, residents noted.
Thunderstorm warning issued
On Sunday, the local meteorological office issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph at isolated locations in the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi for Monday and Thursday.
The agency also predicted a wet spell across the state for the next five days. This, despite the weather being dry on Sunday, with sunshine greeting people of the region.
Additionally, light rain or snow is expected at isolated places across the state from 24 March to 28 March, and at a few places on 23 March. The development comes as a fresh Western Disturbance is expected to affect Northwest India starting 26 March, the MeT station noted.
Temperature forecast
Minimum temperatures have risen slightly and are likely to continue increasing over the next two to three days. Meanwhile, maximum temperatures are expected to climb gradually by two to five degrees over the next four to five days.
Kukumseri recorded the lowest temperature at minus 3.1°C, while daytime temperatures saw a noticeable rise, with Una registering the highest maximum at 30.2°C.
Second landslide in two days in Kullu
In a separate incident, a second landslide in two days struck the Inner Akhara Bazaar area of Kullu district on Friday, triggering panic among residents. Families living below the unstable hillside spent a sleepless night as stones and debris continued to fall intermittently, The Tribune reported.
The district administration advised several families to shift temporarily to the Akhara Bazaar Gurudwara and the Sanatan Dharam Sabha sarai. The report suggests that while some of the families moved to government-advised safer locations, others took shelter with relatives and neighbours. People living in the area asked for a long-term solution and a mitigation plan instead of the stopgap arrangements for the landslide problem in the area.
Residents say the memory of last year’s deadly landslide in Inner Akhara Bazaar, which killed 10 people, is still vivid. They claim that although the administration promised a long-term solution after two landslides in 2025, no concrete preventive steps have been implemented. They also cautioned that the continued fall of boulders from the hillside could lead to another major disaster.
(With agency inputs)
