himachal-braces-for-heavy-rain-orange-alert-issued

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh warning for Himachal Pradesh, predicting more rain in the coming days.

 

An orange alert has been issued for August 11 and 12 in Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi districts, while a yellow alert is in place for most other regions.

 

The state has already been receiving rain, including in the capital Shimla, over the last 24 hours. As of today (August 8), four districts are under a yellow alert, according to IMD’s Shimla centre.

 

The ongoing monsoon has had a deadly impact. Since June 20, 202 people have died in rain-related incidents. This includes 108 deaths from floods, landslides, and heavy rain, and 94 from road accidents, as per official figures.

 

Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at IMD Shimla, said that light rainfall was reported in Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Sirmaur in the past 24 hours.

"Between August 8 and 10, light to moderate rainfall is likely in the mid and lower hill districts of the state. On August 8, isolated places in Solan, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla may receive heavier rainfall," he said.

 

"On August 9, a Yellow Alert has been issued for Kangra, Una, and Sirmaur districts for heavy rainfall. Rainfall activity is expected to pick up again from the night of August 10 and continue through the morning of August 11," he further stated.

 

Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated spots in Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, Una, and Bilaspur during this period.

 

"Widespread rainfall is likely across the state on August 11 and 12. Particularly, Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi districts have been issued an Orange Alert for heavy rainfall on these days, while Yellow Alerts have been issued for other mid-hill districts such as Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kullu, and Chamba," he said.

 

The IMD also noted that rainfall in Himachal during August so far is 35 per cent above normal. Districts like Solan, Kullu, Kinnaur, Bilaspur, and Una have received nearly double their usual rainfall.

 

From June 1 to August 8, Himachal has recorded 13 per cent more rainfall than average. Shimla has seen the highest rainfall, followed by Mandi, where rainfall is 65 per cent above normal. Chamba, Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra have also received 40 per cent more rain than usual.

Despite the wet weather, no major flood warnings have been issued yet, as rainfall remains moderate in many areas.