Heavy Rains Disrupt Life in Himachal Pradesh, Roads Closed. Yellow Alert Issued for Several Districts Including Mandi and Kullu. Advised to Exercise Caution Due to Landslides and Floods.
Shimla Rain Alert: Continuous rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has severely disrupted daily life. Roads have been closed in several districts of the state, impacting transportation. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert for the next week.
The State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) reported that vehicular movement has been halted on a total of 400 roads, including two National Highways, due to heavy rainfall. This includes 221 roads in the Mandi district and 102 roads in the Kullu district. National Highway-3 (Mandi-Dharampur Road) and NH-305 (Aut-Sainj Road) are also blocked.
Heavy Rainfall Disrupts Electricity and Water Supply
According to officials, 208 electricity supply transformers and 51 water supply schemes have been disrupted in the state due to heavy rainfall. This has caused difficulties for people in accessing electricity and water facilities. The state's Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for the next seven days. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue in some districts.
Rainfall Record: Rainfall in Different Areas
According to the Meteorological Department, the highest rainfall was recorded in Pandoh at 123 millimeters, followed by Kasauli at 105 millimeters, and Jot at 104.6 millimeters. Mandi and Karsog recorded 68 millimeters, Nadaun 52.8 millimeters, Jogindernagar 54 millimeters, Baggi 44.7 millimeters, Dharampur 44.6 millimeters, Bhattiyat 40.6 millimeters, Palampur 33.2 millimeters, Neri 31.5 millimeters, and Sarahan 30 millimeters.
Sunder Nagar, Shimla, Bhuntar, Jot, Murari Devi, Jubbarhatti, and Kangra experienced thunderstorms and rain. This has increased the incidents of landslides and road closures in the hilly areas.
Deaths and Damages Caused by Monsoon in Himachal Pradesh So Far
The SEOC reported that at least 152 people have died in Himachal Pradesh due to the monsoon since June 20. Meanwhile, 37 people are missing. During the monsoon, the state has witnessed 75 incidents of flash floods, 40 incidents of cloudbursts, and 74 major landslides.
The state has suffered a total loss of ₹2,347 crore due to the rains. From June 1 to August 24, Himachal Pradesh received 662.3 millimeters of rainfall, which is 16 percent more than the average rainfall of 571.4 millimeters.
Alert for the Next Week
The Meteorological Department has warned that moderate to heavy rainfall is likely to occur in several districts of Himachal Pradesh for the next seven days. People are requested to stay in safe places and avoid travelling in hilly areas. The state administration has also activated its teams for relief and rescue operations. People are being advised to take alternative routes in case of road closures.
