Himachal Pradesh Faces Heavy Rains, Landslides, and Power Disruptions

Himachal Pradesh is enduring severe weather conditions including heavy rainfall, landslides, and power supply disruptions. A landslide on National Highway 5 temporarily blocked a crucial route. Significant rain and minor snowfall have been reported, resulting in road closures and highlighting the monsoon's impact on the state with substantial financial losses and fatalities.

Himachal Pradesh is grappling with the aftermath of heavy rainfall that led to the closure of 53 roads and disruption of five power supply schemes, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported on Monday.

The local meteorological centre has sounded a 'yellow' alert for thunderstorms and lightning across isolated areas in six districts on Wednesday, exacerbating concerns about road safety and travel.

Coinciding with the heavy rainfall, a significant landslide in the afternoon impacted traffic on National Highway 5 near Kumarhatti in Solan district, cutting off the Chandigarh-Shimla connection momentarily. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, officials confirmed.

Additionally, the southern parts of the state are experiencing continuous intermittent rain, with Bilaspur receiving the highest rainfall of 100.8 mm.

Despite the rainfall, the monsoon season is currently showing a deficit of 18 per cent, with substantial losses reported since its onset. Between June 27 and Monday evening, the state recorded 172 rain-related fatalities and 30 people missing. Financial damage from the weather conditions stands at Rs 1,327 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)