Himachal Pradesh: Car skids off road, plunges into deep gorge near Rohtang Pass; 4 killed, 1 injured

At least four people were killed and one sustained serious injuries in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district on Saturday when a car skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Rahni Nala, close to Rohtang Pass, ANI quoted police officials as saying.

DSP Manali KD Sharma added that there were five individuals in the vehicle at the time of the accident. "Four persons died on the spot, while one has been seriously injured," ANI quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, police and other authorities have launched rescue operations. Also, efforts are being made to provide medical assistance to the injured person and retrieve the bodies. However, the identities of the victims are yet to be confirmed.

In another report, SDM Padhar Surjeet Singh says three culverts and a portion of land were washed away due to flooding in the drain near Kortang in Chauharghati under the Padhar subdivision of Mandi district.

Rains disrupt life:

Amid the heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, essential public utilities have been severely affected, as 269 roads were blocked, 285 electricity transformers disrupted, and 278 water supply schemes rendered non-functional in the last 24 hours, ANI quoted the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) as saying.

The SEOC, in its daily situation report, said that the maximum damage has occurred in Mandi district, where 200 roads are currently blocked due to heavy rains. The district also reported 236 power transformers and 278 water supply schemes disrupted.

Kullu district was the second most impacted in terms of road access, with 39 roads blocked in sub-divisions like Banjar and Nirmand due to rainfall-triggered obstructions. Meanwhile, Chamba reported 32 blocked roads and 17 damaged transformers across its sub-divisions, including Salooni, Dalhousie, and Bharmour.

"The heavy monsoon showers have triggered landslides, waterlogging, and infrastructure damage, disrupting road connectivity and essential services across multiple districts," the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said. "Efforts are underway to restore services swiftly, and field teams are on alert in highly affected regions such as Mandi and Kullu."

While, Shimla, Solan, and Lahaul and Spiti are not in such a bad state, said the report, adding caution has been advised as continuing rains could aggravate the situation in coming days.

With agency inputs.