Himachal Weather Update: Orange Warning Issued as Severe Rain Strikes Mandi, Blocking 310 Routes

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a "orange" alert for severe to very heavy rainfall in the hill state on Monday and Tuesday as the rains continue to batter areas of Himachal Pradesh.

Due to continuous moderate to heavy rains throughout the state, approximately 310 routes, including the NH-305, were closed as of Monday morning. 

According to reports, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the Mandi district, which is already considered disaster-affected, has recorded the greatest number of closures at 171, followed by 68 in Kullu. 

A landslide in Panthaghati, Shimla, on Sunday night closed the Mehli-Shogi bypass, causing traffic jams and damage to surrounding stores.

Significant rainfall has been recorded in a number of areas of the state since Sunday evening. 

According to the Met department, Kasauli received 82 mm of rain, followed by Naina Devi (62.6 mm), Jogindernagar (60 mm), Brahmani (49.2 mm), Manali (45 mm), Guler (29 mm), Pandoh (27 mm), Karsog (26.2 mm), Sarahan (25.5 mm), and Shimla (28 mm).

According to reports, the state's 236 water supply systems and 113 power transformers have been impacted as a result of the heavy rain.

A total of Rs1,714 crore has been lost in Himachal Pradesh since the monsoon season began on June 20. 53 flash floods, 28 cloudbursts, and 47 significant landslides have been documented, and 1,649 dwellings have been completely or partially damaged as a result of the monsoon.

In the meantime, 103 people have died as a result of the rain, and 36 are still unaccounted for.

Twenty perished by drowning, nineteen by falling, seventeen by cloudbursts, eight by flash floods, and six by landslides, out of the total number of fatalities.

As the monsoon continues to bring extreme weather conditions, authorities have advised locals and visitors to exercise caution, particularly in places that are vulnerable to landslides and along riverbanks.

Coastal Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar were among the places where the weather service also forecasted showers for today.

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