July 2025: Flash Flood Destroys Patikari Hydro Project in Himachal

July 3, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Dam site of Patikari HEP destroyed by the flash flood.)

A ‘cloudburst’ induced deluge on the intervening night of June 30 and July 01, 2025 has totally destroyed the Patikari Hydroelectric Power (HEP) project in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The 16 Mw project was built in Gudah village on Bakhali khad (Kuklah stream) a tributary of Beas River upstream Pandoh dam. The main project structures including the dam site and powerhouse have been washed away in the disaster. The 12 workers of the project managed to escape in the nick of time.

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Cloud Burst

Himachal Pradesh 2023: How we are turning ‘Cloudbursts’ into Deadly Disasters

November 9, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Primary School Building in Kuklah, Mandi buried under ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood debris. Source: ETV Bharat)

In South West Monsoon season 2023, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed several ‘cloudburst’ incidents adding to the death tolls and infrastructural destruction on account of excessive rains, landslides and flash floods. SANDRP has compiled a detailed report on the subject here and this account highlights the summary of the report. Our previous analysis on ‘cloudburst’ incident in Himachal Pradesh state can be seen here 2022 (39 incidents); 2021(30 incidents); 2020 (3 incidents); 2019 (16 incidents); 2018 (21 incidents).

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Hydro Disaster

More Himachal Pradesh Hydro Projects damaged in flashfloods in July-Aug 2023

September 13, 2023January 3, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Heavy vehicles stuck in Machchhetar nulla near Kuther HEP Adit 3 tunnel in Bharmour tehsil of Chamba after August 25, 2023 cloud burst induced flash flood. Image Source: Screen shot of Himachali Vlogger Balwant Kapoor You Tube video)

In July and August 2023, two more hydro electric power (HEP) projects have faced cloud burst induced flash flood destruction in Himachal Pradesh. The first one is Kuther HEP in Chamba district and the second one is Pittkari HEP in Mandi district. The details of 2 HEPs (14 MW GreenKo HEP in Sutlej basin, Shimla and 66 MW Dhaulasiddh HEP in Beas basin, Hamirpur) earlier impacted by cloudbursts induced deluge in last week of June 2023 can be seen here.

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Hydro Disaster

Himachal demands Rs 658 Cr from NHAI for damage to Larji Hydro Project

August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 SANDRP2 Comments

In an unprecedented development[i], the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has sent a Rs 658-crore damage report to the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari seeking from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) compensation for the devastation caused at the 126-MW Larji hydel project allegedly due to the construction of a double-decker four-lane road.

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Himachal Pradesh · Hydro Disaster

UHL hydro project disaster needs independent probe

May 18, 2020May 20, 2020 SANDRP2 Comments

On May 16, 2020[i], the penstocks of the 100 MW Uhl III project at Lad Bhadol in Mandi in Himchal Pradesh, under testing, burst, leading to flooding of downstream power house. 30 people working at the project were trapped but all have been rescued to safety. The power house is about 150 m from the burst point in Chulla village. Continue reading “UHL hydro project disaster needs independent probe” →

Dam floods · Dams

Dam Floods 2018: Assam, Himachal; Making Dam Operators Accountable

November 18, 2018November 22, 2018 SANDRPLeave a comment

ASSAM: NEEPCO a repeat offender? On July 27, 2018 sudden release of water from NEEPCO’s Doyang Hydropower Electric Project (HEP), located in Wokha district, Nagaland led to flood disaster [1], submerging [2] about 36 villages in Golaghat a district in Upper Assam. According to Rony Rajkumar, project officer of the Golaghat district disaster management authority, around 5,575 people were affected by the deluge which damaged 887.9 ha of crop.

Earlier, on July 11, 2018, reviewing the severe flood situation Lakhimpur Assam, the Chief Minister (CM) Sarbananda Sonowal strongly warned [3] the state-owned power utility NEEPCO not to release water from its Ranganadi dam without warning like previous years.

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Dams · Monsoon

Himachal Pradesh Monsoon 2018 Overview

October 28, 2018November 22, 2018 SANDRP1 Comment

Himachal Pradesh has received 917.3 mm rainfall during South West Monsoon 2018. The amount is 11 percent higher than normal rainfall category of 825.3 mm. However at district level there is considerable variation in the distribution of rainfall. Out of 12 districts in the state, rainfall departure has been in deficit in three districts namely Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahul & Spiti by 38 percent, 32 percent and 43 per cent respectively. All these three districts are in upper part of Himalaya, the origin of many rivers & where mountains are mostly snow covered.

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