Heavy rain warning issued for Himachal Pradesh until August 20; Check road closures, weather alerts and more

The regional Met office has issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rain across 10 of Himachal Pradesh's 12 districts until August 20. This warning comes as ongoing showers have resulted in the closure of 58 roads, including a major national highway. The state is expected to experience continued rainfall until August 22, according to the latest weather updates.

Himachal Pradesh Weather: Flash floods

The Met office has also issued a warning for potential flash floods in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, and Sirmaur districts through Saturday. There's concern about possible damage to crops, plantations, and vulnerable structures, including temporary houses.

Himachal Rains: Road Closures

Among the affected roads, National Highway 707 between Hatkoti in Shimla district and Poanta Sahib in Sirmaur district is currently closed. The State Emergency Operation Centre reports that road closures are widespread: 19 roads in Shimla, 14 in Mandi, 12 in Kangra, eight in Kullu, three in Kinnaur, and one each in Sirmaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts.

Himachal Rains: Disruptions in Power and Water Supply

The rainfall has also disrupted 31 power and four water supply schemes. Since Thursday evening, Dalhousie has recorded the highest rainfall at 62 mm, followed by Palampur (56 mm), Kandaghat (36.6 mm), Ghamroor (35.6 mm), Nagrota Suriyan (32 mm), Kangra (28.2 mm), Guler (23.8 mm), and Dharamshala (17.8 mm).

Himachal Pradesh Monsoon Season

Himachal Pradesh's monsoon season has seen a 23 percent deficit in rainfall so far, with the state receiving 397.9 mm compared to the average of 513.5 mm. Rain-related incidents have claimed 120 lives and caused damages estimated at around Rs 1,129 crore since June 27.

In terms of temperatures, Keylong in Lahaul & Spiti district is the coldest place with a night temperature of 10.7 degrees Celsius, while Una is the hottest, recording a maximum of 36.4 degrees Celsius.

Inputs from PTI