Himachal to see intense showers till August 17, says weather office

Parts of Himachal Pradesh are expected to receive heavy rain over the next few days, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of possible landslides and road blockages. The IMD’s Shimla office has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain in Kangra, Mandi, and Sirmaur districts on August 12. A yellow alert has also been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, and Kullu districts.

On Monday, several parts of the state, including Shimla, saw heavy rainfall, which triggered landslides at different locations. According to IMD officials, light to moderate rain is likely to continue at most places until August 15, and at many places on August 16 and 17. Heavy rain is expected at isolated spots until August 14, with one or two spells of heavy rainfall possible between August 11 and 17.

For August 13, an orange alert is in place for Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Sirmaur, while Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Shimla, and Solan have been put under a yellow alert. On August 14, the orange alert will extend to Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur.

Roads blocked and damage across the state

The heavy rainfall has caused serious disruptions in Himachal Pradesh. On Monday, 316 roads were blocked across the state, including one national highway. Mandi district is the worst affected, with 181 roads closed. In Kullu district, 84 roads remain blocked, including a stretch of National Highway 305 at Jhed (Khanag) due to a landslide. Kangra district has 23 roads blocked, while Sirmaur has 11.

Since the start of the monsoon on June 20, the state has recorded 229 deaths. Of these, 119 were due to rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning. The remaining 110 deaths were from road accidents. The rains have also damaged more than 2,000 houses, either partially or completely. Losses during this monsoon season have been estimated at nearly ₹2,000 crore.

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During the last 24 hours, monsoon activity was weak, and only light to moderate rainfall was recorded in several places. The highest rainfall was 5 mm in Bilaspur Sadar, followed by 3 mm each in Sarahan and Chuwari. Other places like Rajgarh, Dehra Gopipur, Dharmshala, Palampur, Kothi, Kahu, and Gohar received between 1 mm and 2 mm of rain.

Government urges caution as alerts remain in place

The state government has advised people to remain alert, especially in landslide-prone and low-lying areas. With heavy rain expected on August 13 and 14, and a yellow alert in place for several other days, the risk of more road blockages, house damage, and flooding remains high.

Authorities are working to clear blocked roads, restore connectivity, and provide relief to affected areas. However, the continuing rain is making these efforts challenging. The IMD has urged residents and tourists to check weather updates before travelling, especially in districts under orange and yellow alerts.