Heavy flood fury cuts off Himachal village as 100-foot-long bridge goes under water

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 10, 2026 15:31 IST

Heavy rainfall triggered a flash flood in the Pager stream in Lippa Panchayat of Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district on Thursday morning, causing extensive damage and cutting off Lippa village after a key bridge was submerged. The flooding, reported at around 6 am, disrupted access to the village and damaged houses, pathways and apple orchards in the area.

The situation was further aggravated by continued moderate to heavy rainfall across parts of Himachal Pradesh since Wednesday evening, along with thunderstorms and lightning in Shimla, Kangra and Jot.

In Kinnaur district, rising water levels in rivers and streams have gone significantly above normal, while the India Meteorological Department's Shimla centre has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall at isolated places across the state till July 15.

According to the initial information, the flash flood blocked the flow of the Teti Khad and submerged a nearly 100-foot-long iron bridge that connects Lippa village. After the bridge was declared unsafe, authorities suspended movement across it, severing the village's road link with nearby areas.

Floodwaters carrying large amounts of rocks and debris from the Lippa Khad entered residential areas, damaging several houses and worsening erosion along the banks of the stream.

Houses near the bridge continue to face risk. Debris also damaged pedestrian pathways, making movement in the area highly risky. Apple orchards were buried under silt and debris, and orchard owners fear losses running into several lakh rupees. No casualties have been reported so far.

In another incident in Kinnaur district, a landslide hit near Maling Nallah on the old Hindustan-Tibet Road, or NH-5, in the Kuppa area. The landslide damaged three houses, a cowshed and several orchards. Large boulders blocked the highway for a few hours before the route was cleared.

The district administration has asked residents to stay away from rivers, streams and seasonal nullahs and to avoid unnecessary travel. Teams have been sent to assess the damage in the affected areas as rain-related incidents continue to affect parts of Kinnaur.

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