The first spell of the southwest monsoon wreaked havoc across several parts of Chamba district on Wednesday, triggering landslides, flooding homes, damaging agricultural land and disrupting road connectivity in Salooni and Churah subdivisions.
Heavy rain since early morning led to multiple landslides, forcing the closure of several key roads, including the Chamba–Salooni–Himgiri Road, the Salooni–Dand Road and parts of the Chamba–Tissa highway. Commuters, government employees and schoolchildren faced inconvenience as buses remained off the roads and traffic came to a standstill at several locations. On the Chamba–Tissa highway, traffic remained suspended during the morning near Pangola Nullah after the water level rose sharply and brought heavy debris onto the road. The route was reopened in the afternoon after conditions improved.
In tribal Pangi subdivision, Sach-Sechu Road was blocked after a massive landslide.
In Lanot Gram Panchayat of Salooni subdivision, two houses suffered extensive damage after rainwater and debris gushed into the structures.
Locals said large quantities of mud and debris flowed downhill and accumulated on the rooftops before entering the houses, damaging both the buildings and household belongings. Despite efforts to divert the flow of water, the increasing volume of runoff made it unsafe for owners to stay inside.
Heavy rain also inundated a shop in Dhutta village, causing damage to goods stored inside. Farmers across the region reported losses to crops and orchards after mud and floodwater entered agricultural fields. Lanot Gram Panchayat Pradhan Des Raj said he had personally visited the affected families and urged the government to provide immediate financial assistance for the losses suffered.
Salooni Tehsildar Abhiraj Singh Thakur said the local patwari had been directed to assess the damage and prepare a report. “Information about rain-related damage is also being received from other areas. Reports are being compiled so that affected families can receive government relief at the earliest,” he said.
Public Works Department authorities said road restoration work was taken up immediately after the rain. While some roads reopened by afternoon, others were cleared and restored by evening. He urged motorists to exercise caution during the monsoon as the risk of landslides and falling rocks remains high across the hilly region.
