Himachal Pradesh Faces Heavy Rains and Disruptions: Yellow Alert Issued

Himachal Pradesh is under a 'yellow' alert due to heavy rains. The downpour has led to the closure of 47 roads, including National Highway 707. Several areas have recorded significant rainfall, and 156 power schemes are affected. The monsoon has resulted in 185 fatalities and Rs 1,332 crore in damages.

The local meteorological department issued a 'yellow' alert for heavy rains at isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh on Friday, officials said.

A total of 47 roads including National Highway 707 were closed for vehicular traffic in Himachal Pradesh following rains, officials confirmed on Friday.

Persistent rains continued to lash parts of the state, with Jogindernagar registering the highest rainfall of 80 mm since Thursday. Other significant recordings include 79.8 mm in Palampur, 65 mm in Baijnath, and 51.2 mm in Poanta Sahib.

The adverse weather conditions led to the closure of 25 roads in Sirmaur, including NH 707, with additional closures in Kangra, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, and Shimla. The state emergency operation centre (SEOC) reported that 156 power supply schemes have been affected.

The current monsoon season has exhibited a rain deficit of 19 percent, with the state receiving 590.4 mm of rainfall against an average of 729.5 mm. Officials reported that 185 people died in rain-related incidents since June 27, with 28 still missing. The financial losses due to the rains have amounted to Rs 1,332 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)