Shimla: The Meteorological Center in Shimla has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in several districts of Himachal Pradesh, warning residents and authorities to prepare for potential disruptions. The alert applies to Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Sirmaur districts on Wednesday, with additional warnings in place for Hamirpur and Una districts. According to the Meteorological Department, heavy rainfall is expected at numerous locations across these regions throughout the day.
On Tuesday, the state experienced significant rainfall, with heavy showers recorded in the capital Shimla and Solan. The persistent downpours led to waterlogging in various areas, particularly in Baddi, Barotiwala, and Nalagarh within the Solan district, severely affecting traffic as water accumulated on the roads. In response to the ongoing weather conditions, a landslide prompted the closure of the National Highway via Chakkar from Shimla city, forcing vehicles to be rerouted through Baluganj. Additionally, the Paonta Sahib-Shilai National Highway remained blocked for 24 hours due to a landslide near Hevna.
The heavy rainfall also caused major disruptions on NH-5, where a landslide occurred at Nigulsari around 7 PM on Monday. The landslide resulted in debris covering a 200-meter stretch of the highway, which could only be cleared after 23 hours, allowing traffic to resume by 6 PM on Tuesday. Further issues were reported on the Taklech Devthi road in Rampur subdivision, where the road began caving in near Seripul on Monday night. This has caused significant inconvenience for thousands of residents across four panchayats in the area, leaving them stranded and facing difficulties in commuting.
