Himachal Pradesh: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted light to moderate rain with thunder in seven districts of Himachal Pradesh and heavy rainfall in Kullu.
IMD tweeted, “Light to moderate rain with thunder is expected to occur over a few places in Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts today and heavy rainfall is expected in Kullu district.”
Earlier, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, predicting significant rainfall in four states from July 16 to 17. IMD also tweeted that Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to experience heavy to very heavy showers during the same period.
In addition, IMD issued a warning of “moderate to high risk” for flash floods in five districts of Himachal Pradesh until July 17. The bulletin stated that there is a moderate to high risk of flash floods in certain watersheds and areas of Chamba, Kangra, Sirmaour, Shimla, and Kullu districts.
Unfortunately, the people of Himachal Pradesh have been facing various challenges since June 24, including prolonged power outages, water scarcity, and disrupted connectivity. The number of fatalities in North India has been increasing due to continuous heavy rains, with Himachal Pradesh being the most severely affected state. So far, there have been 117 reported deaths in the state.
According to the Himachal Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, a total of 117 lives have been lost, 12 people are still missing, and 121 individuals have been injured. Additionally, 481 houses have been damaged, while 3,863 houses have suffered partial damage. The rain and floods have also caused damage to 133 shops and 1,008 cow sheds in the state. Furthermore, there have been 53 incidents of landslides and 41 incidents of flash floods in Himachal Pradesh.