Himachal weather update: 285 roads closed due to landslides, IMD predicts heavy rain alert for state

Amid heavy rains triggering landslides following flash floods in the state, Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Monday held a special review meeting with senior officials to review road blockages, and disruption of power and water supply across the state.

Speaking to ANI, Minister Negi said, "We had earlier conducted a state-level meeting to prepare for the monsoon season. Today, I held a special review with Revenue Department officials and other concerned departments to assess the current situation and direct immediate restoration efforts wherever needed."

285 roads had been blocked due to landslides

As of last evening, around 285 roads had been blocked due to landslides and slips. He said the target is to reopen at least 234 of them by Monday evening.

However, he clarified that all national highways in the state remain functional, but 968 electricity transformers (DTRs) have been affected.

IMD predicts heavy rain alert for Himachal

In the meantime, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Himachal Pradesh's Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Shimla districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations. The alert comes amid continued monsoon activity, with widespread rainfall affecting most parts of the state in the past 24 hours.

Speaking to ANI, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at the IMD's Meteorological Centre in Shimla, said the rainfall figures and the forecast for the coming days.

"Over the past 24 hours, most regions of Himachal Pradesh recorded moderate rainfall. However, isolated locations in districts such as Mandi, Kangra, Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Hamirpur, and Chamba experienced heavy showers," Sharma said.

He added, "The highest rainfall was recorded in Pandoh (Mandi district) at 130 mm, followed by Mandi town at 120 mm, Sunni in Shimla at 113 mm, and Palampur at 80 mm.

Sharma further elaborated on the rainfall pattern so far in the monsoon season and said, "In June so far, the state has recorded 34 percent above-normal rainfall. Only the high-altitude tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti have received below-normal rainfall. Kinnaur has seen a deficit of 20 percent, while Lahaul-Spiti recorded 50 per cent below-normal rainfall. All other ten districts have received above-average rain," he said.