Normal life was thrown out of gear across Palampur and adjoining areas on Thursday after high-velocity winds accompanied by heavy rain and hailstorm battered the region, causing widespread disruption and damage to infrastructure, agriculture and public services.
The sudden spell of inclement weather affected electricity supply, telecommunication services and vehicular movement in several parts of the region. Upper villages of Palampur were among the worst-affected areas, where strong winds uprooted numerous trees. Many of these trees fell on roads and highways, blocking key routes and disrupting traffic for several hours.
Large trees also crashed onto power lines, damaging electricity infrastructure and triggering prolonged outages in Palampur town and several adjoining villages. Although no loss of life was reported, residents faced considerable inconvenience as power supply remained disrupted for several hours before restoration efforts were completed by the evening.
Vehicular traffic was severely affected as fallen trees and debris blocked roads, leaving several vehicles stranded until local authorities undertook road-clearing operations. Reports also indicated damage to a number of shops and other structures due to the strong winds. Civic authorities assured all possible assistance to affected families and business establishments.
The adverse weather conditions also impacted tourism activities in the region. Paragliding operations at Bir-Billing, one of the country’s premier adventure tourism destinations, were suspended as a precautionary measure because of strong winds, poor visibility and heavy hailstorm activity. Authorities also closed the road leading to Billing for vehicular traffic until further orders.
In an unusual weather development for June, the upper reaches of the Dhauladhar range received fresh snowfall, resulting in a sharp fall in temperatures across Kangra valley. The sudden cold conditions, combined with rain and hail, caused extensive damage to standing crops in several areas.
Farmers reported significant losses to maize, vegetable and fruit crops. Mango orchards were among the worst affected, with hailstones damaging fruits at a crucial stage of growth. Revenue and agriculture department officials are expected to assess the extent of losses and submit detailed reports to the district administration. Based on these assessments, relief measures and compensation proposals may be considered for affected farmers and residents.
The weather event has once again highlighted the region’s growing vulnerability to extreme climatic conditions, raising concerns about livelihoods, agriculture and future weather-related risks.
