The weather turned hostile across Himachal Pradesh on Saturday as a sudden cloudburst in Jagatkhana of Nirmand block, Kullu district, led to severe flooding in a drain, sweeping away nearly 15 vehicles parked along the roadside into the Sutlej River. The area, located near Rampur, saw heavy rain and hail that also caused significant damage to apple orchards, worrying local growers.
Rampur subdivision was among the worst affected, with hailstorms reported from multiple villages. Administration confirmed that the cloudburst occurred in Kullu district, and three major roads were blocked due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. However, restoration work was carried out, and all routes were reopened by late night.
Meanwhile, the higher reaches of Himachal received fresh snowfall. Rohtang Pass, Pangi, and Bharmour in Chamba witnessed a spell of snow, while moderate to heavy rain lashed parts of Shimla, Kullu, Lahaul, Chamba, and Dharamshala. In contrast, lower districts such as Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and parts of Kangra remained dry and sunny. Una recorded a high of 39.2°C, reflecting the stark contrast in weather patterns across regions.
In Banjar and Ani, as well as the Koksar valley, rain disrupted garlic harvesting and delayed the collection of Rabi crops. Heavy showers in Kangra affected several areas including Dharamshala, Dehra, and Palampur, with rainfall beginning around 3 PM.
The Meteorological Department has issued a rain and thunderstorm alert for eight districts — Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti — warning of continued bad weather till May 28. No major rainfall is expected in Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Kangra over the next few days.
