Heavy rain has thrown life out of gear in Himachal Pradesh, forcing the closure of schools and colleges in five of the state’s 12 districts. A total of 484 roads, including two national highways, are shut for vehicular traffic.
The weather office has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in parts of the state till August 30. Educational institutions, except residential ones, were closed in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Una and Solan. Orders came late Sunday night in Hamirpur and Una, while in Bilaspur, Mandi and Solan, parents were informed on Monday morning.
Since Sunday night, moderate to heavy rainfall has been recorded in many areas. A total of 484 roads, including two national highways, remained shut for traffic on Sunday night. Mandi district has the highest number of road blockages at 245, followed by 102 in Kullu. NH-154A (Chamba–Pathankot) and NH-305 (Aut–Sainj) are also shut, officials said.
Power and water supply have been hit as well, with 941 transformers and 95 schemes disrupted.
This monsoon has already taken a heavy toll. Between June 20 and August 24, 155 people have lost their lives to rain-related incidents in the state, while 37 are still missing. Himachal has seen 77 flash floods, 40 cloudbursts and 79 major landslides so far, leading to estimated losses of ₹2,348 crore.
The state has also received 662.3 mm of rainfall this season,16 per cent more than the usual average of 571.4 mm.
Also Read: Heavy rains shut 400 roads in Himachal, yellow alert issued
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