SHIMLA: Torrential rains lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday night, triggering severe flash floods in Chamba and blocking over 250 roads, including the Pathankot-Bharmour National Highway.
Chamba’s Jot recorded the highest rainfall at 137.8 mm, followed by Nainadevi in Bilaspur with 118 mm and Shimla with 58.2 mm.
The heavy downpour led to flash floods in Chamba’s Sarol neighborhood after three local rivulets overflowed. The sudden surge of water and debris wreaked havoc across Tadoli, Sultanpur, Obri, Bhariyath, and Gholti areas. Over 64 houses, eight shops, and a warehouse were damaged as mud and water gushed into buildings, forcing families to flee their homes at midnight to seek safer shelter. Additionally, 16 cars, five motorcycles, and one scooter were buried under the debris.
In Shimla, a landslide occurred on the Circular Road near the Congress office in the morning, leading to a temporary suspension of traffic and causing a 1.5 to 2 km long traffic jam. Landslides were also reported on the road connecting Chamiana Hospital.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of light to moderate rainfall with heavy spells across Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una districts.
Flash flood warnings have been issued for Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan districts until 5:30 PM, with authorities advising residents to stay away from rivers, streams, and landslide-prone areas.
For July 29, an Orange Alert has been issued for Sirmaur, while Yellow Alerts remain active for Kangra and Shimla. Rain intensity is expected to increase significantly over the coming days:
July 30: An Orange Alert has been sounded for Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur, alongside Yellow Alerts for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, and Kullu.
July 31: Orange Alerts remain in place for heavy downpours in Una, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra, and Shimla, with Yellow Alerts for Sirmaur, Solan, Kullu, Mandi, and Hamirpur.
Intermittent rain is forecast to continue across the state until August 2, maintaining a heightened risk of landslides and flash floods.
Maximum temperatures across most cities, which are currently running above normal, are expected to drop starting today, with a further decline likely as rainfall increases from July 30. Despite the recent heavy spells, monsoon rainfall in Himachal Pradesh remains 9% below normal, with the state receiving 291 mm of rain from June 1 to July 26 against the normal average of 321.2 mm.
