Heavy rain lashes Himachal Pradesh, 75 roads closed, IMD issues alert

Fresh rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has disrupted normal life, closing 75 roads and affecting power and water supply. The IMD has issued a yellow weather warning, forecasting heavy rain and gusty winds across several districts for five days.

Several parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, received fresh spells of rain during the last 24 hours, affecting normal life across the State. Fortunately, no loss of life or property has been reported so far.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), by late Thursday evening, 75 roads were closed, 29 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) were affected, and five water supply schemes were disrupted due to the rain.

IMD Forecast and Warnings

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall in Shimla and Sirmaur on Friday, while moderate to heavy rain is likely in Solan. Moderate rainfall has been predicted for Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, Hamirpur and Chamba, light to moderate rain for Kangra, Una and Bilaspur, and light rain in Lahaul-Spiti.

IMD has also issued a yellow weather warning for several districts of Himachal Pradesh, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall, gusty winds and localised flash flood risks over the next five days. It further predicted gusty winds of 30-40 kmph over high-altitude regions, including Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, until July 15, while maximum temperatures across the state are expected to rise gradually by 2-4 degrees Celsius over the coming days.

For Shimla city, the IMD has said light to moderate rain with a few intense spells is very likely to continue for the next few hours, after which the rainfall is expected to gradually decrease.

Tourists Flock to Shimla Despite Rains

Meanwhile, the tourists continue to flock to Shimla, enjoying the capital city's cool weather, mist-covered hills, lush green valleys and cloud-filled landscapes following recent showers.

The post-rain scenery has transformed Shimla into a major attraction for visitors arriving from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and several other parts of the country.

Despite the onset of the lean tourism season, tourist footfall remains significant, with visitors saying they feel safe while exploring the hill station. (ANI)

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