Heavy rainfall continues to wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh, with 14 roads closed for vehicular traffic. The local Met office has issued a yellow alert, warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning till July 26th. The state has suffered significant losses due to the ongoing monsoon season, with 44 people losing their lives in rain-related incidents and an estimated ₹333 crore in damages since June 27th.
The majority of road closures, 11 in total, are in Mandi district, followed by two in Kinnaur and one in Kangra. The state emergency operation center also reported disruptions to 31 transformers. The National Highway-5, connecting Shimla and Kinnaur districts, reopened early Monday after being blocked for four hours due to a landslide at Nigulsari in Kinnaur. While no casualties were reported in this incident, Nigulsari has a history of landslides, with a major one occurring at the same spot last September.
The MeT office has issued a low to moderate flash flood risk warning for isolated parts of Kangra, Mandi, and Chamba districts for the next 24 hours. They have also cautioned about potential damage to plantations, standing crops, vulnerable structures, and kutcha houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Intermittent rains have lashed several parts of the state over the last 24 hours, with Bharari recording the highest rainfall at 87 mm. Other areas with significant rainfall include Bhoranj (85 mm), Dharamshala (76.2 mm), Dhaulakuan (62.5 mm), Kataula (56.3 mm), Sarkaghat (53.6 mm), Ghaghas (48 mm), Kufri (35.4 mm), Bilaspur (34.8 mm), Olinda (33 mm), Berthin (32.6 mm), Sundernagar (32 mm), Slapper (30.8 mm), Baggi (30.1 mm), and Shimla (27.4 mm).
Kukumseri in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recorded the lowest temperature overnight at 10.1 degrees Celsius. Bajaura in Kullu district experienced the highest daytime temperature at 35.7 degrees Celsius.
