Kinnaur: Cloudburst strikes Himachal again; piles of debris cover highway at Choling; traffic restored.

July 3, 2026

A cloudburst in the Choling area of Kinnaur district early Friday morning caused widespread devastation. Following the incident, a massive amount of debris washed onto the National Highway, disrupting traffic. Preliminary reports indicate that two vehicles were buried under the debris; however, fortunately, the occupants of both vehicles are safe. It is reported that some belongings kept inside the vehicles were swept away by the debris and the strong current.

Upon receiving news of the incident, teams from the administration and relevant departments rushed to the site. Operations to clear the debris from the National Highway and assess the situation are currently underway. Efforts are being made to retrieve the buried vehicles using Poclain machines. The administration has urged the public to remain vigilant given the weather conditions and to avoid unnecessary travel. On a positive note, the Shimla-Kinnaur National Highway-5 (NH-5), which had been blocked near Choling due to the cloudburst and debris, has now been restored.

Orange Alert for Heavy Rain in Kangra-Mandi Today: The Meteorological Department has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for heavy rainfall in certain areas of Kangra and Mandi districts for Friday. A ‘Yellow Alert’ has been issued for the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Una, and Sirmaur. Rain is also expected in other districts of the state. A ‘Yellow Alert’ has been issued for Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur for July 4, and a ‘Yellow Alert’ for rain has also been issued for some districts for July 5 and 6.