Heavy Rains in Shimla in last 24hrs, flooding visuals are scary

The heavy rains in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, caused landslides and uprooted trees, resulting in vehicle damage and road blockages. Furthermore, the downpour persisted on Wednesday, leading the weather authorities to declare a red alert for the state.

The Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) monitoring station at Bibra House reported that the cumulative rainfall in Shimla has surpassed the 500mm mark, a milestone not witnessed in over two decades.

The recent surge in rainfall has led to further measurements of 62mm between 8:30 am and 11:30 am on the present day. With the temperature recorded at 18.2°C at 11:30 am, these unprecedented weather patterns are shaping the narrative of August 2023, which has already seen a cumulative rainfall of 560mm. This article delves into the exceptional meteorological event and its implications for the region.

Heavy Rains in Shimla

On Wednesday, officials reported that heavy overnight rain in Himachal Pradesh had caused landslides, leading to the tragic death of a migrant couple in Shimla. The torrential rains also resulted in the blockage of over 200 roads, including the important Shimla-Chandigarh highway, and caused varying degrees of damage to several houses in Solan district.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy rain across the state and a flash flood warning in nine districts including Shimla, Sirmaur, Kangra, Chamba, Mandi, Hamirpur, Solan, Bilaspur, and Kullu.

Bilaspur received 181mm of rainfall since Tuesday evening followed by Berthin 160 mm, Shimla 132 mm, Mandi 118 mm, Sundernagar 105 mm, Palampur 91 mm, Solan 77 mm. Heavy rains are still continuing in several districts.

A staggering total of 530 roads in the state have been rendered impassable, as an additional 200 roads were blocked. Among the latest incidents, the Shimla-Kalka national highway 5, which links Shimla and Chandigarh, has been obstructed once more near Chaki Mor near Parwanoo, due to a recent landslide. Another major road, NH 21 (Mandi-Kullu road), has been blocked near Pandoh, resulting in traffic diversions. Additionally, NH 154 (Mandi-Pathankot) has also been closed off, as confirmed by the State Emergency Operation Centre.

"Several houses in Shakal village, located on the outskirts of Solan city, have endured significant damage due to the forceful entry of gushing water. In addition, a number of houses and vehicles in Sabathu were also affected by a landslide, as per the statements made by Solan's deputy commissioner, Manmohan Sharma."

Traffic, power supply disrupted

Several lateral roads in the town were also closed, including the critical Tuttikandi-Dhalli bypass, due to landslides. The route near Kanlog was also obstructed by debris, while the stretch from Bemloe to Talland was closed due to a landslip near Himland. The Boileuganj to Summer Road stretch was blocked by uprooted trees.

Traffic on the Mehli Junja road was suspended, A Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus, parked near the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT), was buried under debris.

The area around Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Kasumpti, including the local bazaar, had to be evacuated as the basement of a structure slid away.

Rural areas of Jubbal and Kotkhai bore the brunt of heavy rain. Two houses near Nihari were vacated due to a mudslide in a nullah. At Murraray, four vehicles were damaged due to a flash flood.

The weather office has issued an orange alert for "heavy to very heavy rains" on both Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, they have issued a yellow warning for heavy rain on August 25 and 26. The weather office is forecasting a continuous wet spell in the state until August 28.

From June 24th till August 22nd, the seasonal rainfall recorded a remarkable increase of 36% with a total of 752.1 mm, surpassing the average rainfall of 550.4 mm. Tragically, this excessive rainfall has resulted in the loss of numerous lives, with approximately 80 fatalities occurring due to rain-related incidents, including devastating landslides in Shimla.

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