Shimla, Aug. 27 -- Heavy rain for over a week has crippled life across Himachal Pradesh, cutting off large swathes of Chamba district and leaving tseveral devotees on the annual Manimahesh Yatra stranded in the tribal Bharmour region. Mobile and road connectivity to the entire district has been lost, prompting urgent appeals for military assistance.

BJP MLA from Bharmour, Janak Raj, told ANI in Shimla that thousands of pilgrims, who have travelled from across India, are currently stuck along the route to the sacred Manimahesh Lake. While authorities have so far maintained that all are safe, direct contact with those on the ground has been impossible due to the complete breakdown of communication.

"Two days ago, the situation in my const...