# NH-05 blocked in Himachal’s Kinnaur due to shooting stones, mudslides 2026-09-27T22:31:23+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet National Highway-05 was blocked for vehicular movement after shooting stones and mudflow hit the Maling Nala area in Himachal's Kinnaur district due to heavy rainfall on Sunday, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, officials said. The continuous rainfall triggered shooting stones and mudflow along the Chaura-Samdo stretch, leading to the road closure. The highway had earlier also been blocked near Tapri due to mudflow, leaving several vehicles stranded. Teams from the district administration, police and the Public Works Department have been deployed at the affected sites to restore traffic. Machinery has been deployed to clear accumulated muck and remove stuck vehicles near Tapri. Kinnaur has witnessed the season's first snowfall, which has reportedly damaged apple crops in the Koonochrang-Chitkul area. The India Meteorological Department has issued a snowfall alert for higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh on Monday and rain alerts for lower areas. Precipitation will continue across the state till September 29, after which weather will remain clear till October 3. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Kinnaur stretch of NH-05 is a vital link to the China border and remains prone to landslides during the monsoon. The Public Works Department typically clears such blockages within 24 to 48 hours, but repeated closures disrupt supply of essentials to remote villages. The damage to apple crops from early snowfall adds to the economic strain on horticulture-dependent families in the region. The IMD's extended rain forecast through September 29 suggests the road may remain vulnerable to further closures this week. The next update on traffic restoration is expected from the district administration after debris clearance progresses. ## Coverage - indiatvnews.com Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India Meteorological Department, Kinnaur, NH-05, Public Works Department Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/nh-05-blocked-in-himachals-kinnaur-due-to-shooting-stones-mudslides/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/nh-05-blocked-in-himachals-kinnaur-due-to-shooting-stones-mudslides/#story-in-brief