Malana-1 hydropower project [Dam damage]
NEW DELHI: A dam collapsed in Himachal Pradesh amid continuous heavy rainfall as vehicles were swept away and panic triggered downstream areas
A horrifying video has surfaced showing the moment a cofferdam, part of the Malana-I Hydropower Project in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, collapsed amid flash floods.
A horrifying video has surfaced showing the moment a cofferdam, part of the Malana-I Hydropower Project in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, collapsed amid flash floods.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident. Continuous rainfall and sudden flash floods have caused a significant rise in the water level of the Parvati River, which merges with the Beas River near Bhuntar, approximately 10 kilometres south of Kullu.
Earlier, a massive landslide had struck the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway near Pandoh Dam in the Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, completely blocking traffic and causing a major disruption in the region.
According to the reports, over 50 meters of the highway caved in. The landslide was believed to have been triggered by continuous rainfall. A portion of Chandigarh-Manali National Highway between Pandoh Dam and the Baglamukhi ropeway on Mandi-Kullu stretch had collapsed due to a major road cave-in.
Sakshi Verma, Superintendent of Police, Mandi, had said, “Chandigarh-Manali National Highway blocked in Mandi following a landslide near the Pandoh Dam. Continuous rainfall since last night is believed to have triggered the slide.”
Meanwhile, the monsoon’s continued onslaught in Himachal Pradesh has severely crippled essential services across the state. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), as of 10:00 am on August 2, a staggering 383 roads remain blocked, 747 distribution transformers (DTRs) are disrupted, and 249 water supply schemes are down due to rain-triggered damage.
The situation marks a sharp escalation from earlier days, with national highways NH-305, NH-505, NH-21, and NH-03 among the major routes rendered impassable due to landslides and debris. Several interior roads in districts like Chamba, Kullu, Mandi, and Una remain inaccessible, further complicating rescue and repair efforts.
