Heavy rain likely across Himachal till August 7; no flash flood warning yet: IMD
Shimla, August 3
The India Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rainfall across Himachal Pradesh from August 3 to August 7, with isolated spells of heavy rain likely in several districts, though no flash flood warning has been issued for the state so far.
Speaking to ANI on Monday in Shimla, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist, IMD Himachal Pradesh, said the state is expected to remain under the influence of an active monsoon during the next four to five days.
"Rainfall activity is likely to continue across Himachal Pradesh from August 3 to 7 under active monsoon conditions. Heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places during this period, but as of now no flash flood warning has been issued for the state," Sharma said.
He said the rainfall pattern has varied significantly across the state this monsoon. While Himachal Pradesh has recorded an overall rainfall deficit of around 9 per cent between June 1 and August 3, some locations have received substantially above-normal rainfall.
Sharma said Jubbal, Kotkhai, Dharamshala and Rampur have recorded nearly 76 per cent excess rainfall, while a few stations registered as much as 168 per cent above-normal rainfall during the last month.
According to the IMD forecast, heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Bilaspur, Kangra and Shimla on August 3; Una, Bilaspur and Kangra on August 4; Kangra and Chamba on August 5; and Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra and Shimla on August 6.
The IMD has advised people, particularly those travelling through hilly areas, to remain cautious as intense rainfall could reduce visibility due to low clouds and mist, especially around Shimla and other higher reaches.
Sharma added that temperatures across the state are currently hovering close to normal, with only marginal departures from seasonal averages, while the active monsoon conditions are expected to persist through the week.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who travels to Shimla frequently for work, these warnings are essential. Low visibility due to mist can be really dangerous on those mountain roads. Last year I got stuck for 3 hours because of a landslide near Kufri. Let's hope people stay cautious and don't take unnecessary risks.
Good that IMD is being proactive with the forecast. But the excess rainfall in Jubbal and Kotkhai areas (76% above normal!) is worrying. Those regions are prone to flash floods. Hope the local authorities are monitoring the situation round the clock, even if there's no official warning yet. Better safe than sorry.
I'm planning a trekking trip to Himachal next week and this is making me reconsider my plans. The forecast looks intense, especially for Kangra and Shimla. Does anyone have suggestions for safe areas to visit during this time? Would appreciate local insights! 🙏
I appreciate the IMD's transparency about not issuing a flash flood warning yet. Shows responsibility rather than panic-mongering. But these excess rainfall figures (168% above normal at some stations!) are alarming. Climate change is making our monsoon patterns unpredictable. We need better long-term planning for hill states like Himachal.
Living in Dharamshala, we've already seen quite a bit of rain this week. The 76% excess rainfall figure makes sense! Roads are getting slippery and there are small landslides near Naddi. Please be careful everyone, especially two-wheeler riders. And yes, we're all hoping the mango season in the lower areas benefits from this rain! 😄
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