Himachal: 67 roads closed; ‘yellow warning’ for heavy rain

August 28, 2026 8:33 PM

Himachal: 67 roads closed; ‘yellow warning’ for heavy rain

A total of 67 roads have been closed to vehicular traffic as light to moderate rains persist in various parts of Himachal Pradesh. The Shimla Meteorological Office issued a yellow warning on Friday for heavy rains in isolated areas of the state from August 31 to September 3. As of Friday evening, the closures included 27 roads in Mandi, 16 in Kullu, seven in Kangra, six in Sirmaur, four in Una, three each in Chamba and Shimla, and one in Lahaul and Spiti district. Additionally, 12 power transf...

Rain and hailstorm in Shimla after dry spell, more rain likely: IMD

March 16, 2026 9:57 PM

Rain and hailstorm in Shimla after dry spell, more rain likely: IMD

A sudden spell of heavy hailstorm accompanied by rain lashed the hill town of Shimla on Monday afternoon, covering several parts of the city with hailstones and leading to a sharp drop in temperature. Several roads were blanketed with hailstones as the abrupt change in weather caught many residents and pedestrians off guard. People without umbrellas or rain gear were seen taking shelter along roadsides and under nearby structures as the hailstorm intensified. Despite the inconvenience caused t...

ESIC launches SPREE 2025 to expand social security coverage for workers

July 2, 2025 4:23 PM

ESIC launches SPREE 2025 to expand social security coverage for workers

In a major step towards expanding social security coverage, the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) launched SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees) on Wednesday. The initiative was approved during ESIC’s 196th Corporation Meeting held in Shimla under the chairmanship of Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. SPREE 2025 will be implemented from July 1 to December 31, 2025, and offers a one-time opportunity for unregistered empl...

Multiple cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi; Shimla-Sunni-Karsog highway blocked after heavy rain

July 1, 2025 2:18 PM

Multiple cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi; Shimla-Sunni-Karsog highway blocked after heavy rain

Multiple cloudbursts and torrential rain continued across Himachal Pradesh on Monday, resulting in flash floods. One of the worst-hit routes is the Shimla-Sunni-Karsog highway, which has been completely blocked near Devidhar, about 35 kilometres from the state capital Shimla, stranding dozens of vehicles and commuters. Long queues of vehicles were seen piling up on both sides of the landslide site. Some people went missing in multiple cloudbursts overnight in Karsog division in Mandi district....

Himachal Pradesh: Search, rescue ops underway in Samej village after cloudburst in Shimla

September 16, 2024 4:33 PM

Himachal Pradesh: Search, rescue ops underway in Samej village after cloudburst in Shimla

Relief and rescue operations are in full swing in the flood-affected Samej village near Rampur in Shimla district, as Himachal Pradesh grapples with the aftermath of catastrophic cloudbursts that have ravaged various parts of the state. The recent cloudburst has caused widespread destruction across the hill station, with Samej village being one of the hardest-hit areas. The disaster's impact continues to be felt, as the Lahaul Spiti Police reported a flash flood near Zinzing Bar on National Hig...