Shimla – The meteorological office in Himachal Pradesh has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for six districts in the state due to the looming threat of heavy rainfall. This alert comes alongside a caution about potential flash floods in the Sirmaur district.
The affected districts include Mandi, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra, Solan, and Sirmaur, where heavy rain is expected in isolated areas. The forecasted rainfall is attributed to a fresh Western Disturbance set to affect northwest India, starting from the night of September 15.
According to the meteorological department, the region is poised for a prolonged wet spell extending until September 21. During this period, light to moderate rainfall is anticipated in the low and mid-hills of the state. Furthermore, moderate rain or even snowfall is forecasted in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh.
This year, the state has already received 840.6 mm of rainfall from June 1 to September 15, surpassing the normal rainfall of 689.6 mm by 22 percent, as reported by the meteorological office.
Himachal Pradesh was severely affected by heavy rainfall during the months of July and August, resulting in significant losses estimated at Rs 8,680 crore, according to the state emergency operation center. Since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, the state has sadly witnessed the loss of approximately 272 lives in rain-related incidents.
