Heavy rains battered Himachal Pradesh, causing severe disruptions across the state on Tuesday. The inclement weather led to the closure of 85 additional roads, bringing the total number of blocked roads to 126 on.
The state emergency operation center reported that heavy rains triggered landslides and uprooted trees, particularly affecting Shimla, where 41 roads are now impassable, PTI reported.
In Shimla city, the downpour caused significant inconvenience for commuters as trees near Toyland were uprooted. The worst-hit areas include Mandi with 50 closed roads, followed by Solan with 12, Kangra with 10, Kullu with six, Sirmaur with four, and Una, Kinnaur, and Lahaul and Spiti with one each.
The local meteorological office has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for the next two days, predicting heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning in isolated areas of the state. The adverse weather has also disrupted 1,191 power and 27 water supply schemes across Himachal Pradesh.
Since Monday evening, moderate rainfall has been reported across several regions, with Kaho recording the highest rainfall of 84 mm by 8 am. Other significant rainfall figures include Jubberhatti at 83 mm, Kufri at 73 mm, Shimla at 62.8 mm, and Pachhad at 59 mm.
Despite the recent downpours, Himachal Pradesh’s rainfall deficit since the onset of the monsoon on June 27 remains at 23 percent, with the state receiving 453.4 mm of rain against an average of 591.8 mm. The monsoon has claimed 144 lives in rain-related incidents and caused damages estimated at Rs 1,217 crore.