Shimla, Sept. 17 — Rainfall is likely to continue in parts of Himachal Pradesh until September 22, though no heavy rain alert has been issued, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Shimla office said on Tuesday.
According to officials, light to moderate rainfall is expected at several places on September 17 and 18, and at isolated locations between September 19 and 22. The high hill areas are forecast to remain largely dry during this period, while plains and low hill regions may continue receiving moderate showers.
Monsoon activity remained vigorous over the state in the past 24 hours, with light to moderate rain reported at most locations and heavy to very heavy rain at isolated spots. Shimla recorded the highest rainfall at 14 cm, followed by Nagrota Surian (13 cm), Chuari (8 cm), Sundarnagar (6 cm), and Guler, Mandi and Kangra at 5 cm each. Other places, including Kandaghat, Barthin, Karsog, Bilaspur Sadar, Shillaro, Kotkhai, Dharamshala, and Kasauli, reported between 1 cm and 4 cm.
Meanwhile, road connectivity across the state continues to be severely disrupted. As of Tuesday, 655 roads, including three national highways, remained blocked due to landslides and rain damage. This included 313 roads in Mandi district, 153 in Kullu, 47 in Shimla and 46 in Kangra. In Kullu, both NH-305 and NH-03 are closed, while NH-503A is blocked in Una district.
Since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, the state has recorded 417 rain-related deaths. According to the state disaster management authority, 236 people have died due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts and drowning, while 181 have lost their lives in road accidents. Nearly 8,000 houses have also been partially or completely damaged.
With continued rain likely over the coming days, officials said clearance and repair work may take longer, prolonging disruptions in several affected districts.
