Himachal: Massive landslide at the Shongtong power project barrage site; workers save their lives

June 19, 2026

A massive landslide occurred at the barrage site of the Shongtong Power Project in Powari, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Several trees fell during the landslide, while workers at the site managed to flee and save their lives.

The landslide has endangered a nearby petrol pump and a house; both structures could collapse if further landslides occur. The under-construction barrage has also sustained damage.

Construction work was underway at the barrage site
The incident took place on Friday morning while construction work was in progress at the barrage site. Suddenly, a landslide began. Workers at the site managed to escape just in time. Within moments, several trees collapsed, and a cloud of dust engulfed the area. Fortunately, no workers were caught in the landslide.

Sanjouli-Dhalli bypass fully restored after landslide disruption
It is worth noting that a landslide also occurred on Thursday evening at Lambidhar on the Sanjouli-Dhalli bypass in the capital, Shimla. Massive boulders, a tree, and tons of debris tumbled from the hillside onto the bypass, completely halting traffic for two hours. By 7:15 PM, the Public Works Department had cleared the debris and restored one-way traffic; however, the road was fully restored by Friday morning.