In response to widespread damage caused by heavy rainfall, the Himachal Pradesh government has declared monsoon holidays across several regions, affecting over 300 educational institutions.
Education Minister Rohit Thakur stated that district administrations have been empowered to declare local-level holidays wherever required. “Last year, we gave the authority to district administrations to make such decisions based on local conditions. This year as well, due to continued rainfall and accessibility issues, several subdivisions—particularly in Mandi and Shimla—have declared holidays,” he said.
Continuous rainfall over the past several days has severely disrupted daily life across hilly and low-lying regions of the state. Infrastructure damage, road blockages, and landslides have been reported in multiple districts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh alert, predicting that monsoon activity will persist across Himachal Pradesh till August 12, driven by the combined influence of an active southwest monsoon and a western disturbance.
Speaking to ANI, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at the IMD Centre in Shimla, said:
“The intensity of rain in the past 24 hours was due to the convergence of an active monsoon system with a western disturbance. This led to strong winds and localised cloud formation, triggering heavy rainfall across the hills.”
According to IMD data, Kasauli (Solan) recorded the highest rainfall at 145 mm, followed by Gohar (Mandi) with 120 mm. Other affected districts include Bilaspur, Kangra, Sirmaur, and Chamba.
The IMD has issued yellow alerts for heavy rain in Bilaspur, Kangra, and Solan on August 6. Isolated heavy rainfall is also expected in Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, and Kullu on August 7 and 8. Though rainfall is expected to continue till August 12, its intensity may reduce slightly after August 9, Sharma noted.
Rainfall in the state till August 6 has been 77% above normal, with districts like Bilaspur, Solan, Una, Hamirpur, and Mandi receiving up to 1.5 times more rainfall than usual for this time of year. Since the monsoon began on June 1, Himachal Pradesh has recorded 18% more rainfall than the seasonal average.
Only Lahaul-Spiti has reported below-normal rainfall so far.
The IMD has also warned of flash floods, particularly in parts of Mandi and surrounding areas, due to the combination of heavy rainfall, saturated soil, and increased risk of landslides and waterlogging.
Visibility remains poor in several areas, including Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur, owing to continuous rain and thick cloud cover.
-ANI
