The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange’ alert for Himachal Pradesh and several other states as heavy rainfall continues to impact northern India in August. Earlier this week, the IMD forecasted that heavy to extremely heavy rainfall would persist in parts of Himachal Pradesh until August 12.
The ‘orange’ alert has been issued due to intense rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
According to the IMD’s forecast, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Rajasthan will experience heavy isolated rainfall until August 12. Meanwhile, moderate rainfall is expected in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh on August 10.
The IMD warned of ongoing heavy to extremely heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh until Saturday, accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms. The ‘orange’ alert will remain in effect until August 12, with a ‘yellow’ warning extending until August 15.
The IMD has also warned of a low to moderate risk of flash floods in certain areas of Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, and Kullu districts through Saturday, as reported by PTI.
Additionally, the agency cautioned about potential landslides in some regions and the possibility of damage to plantations, crops, vulnerable structures, and kutcha houses due to waterlogging and strong winds in low-lying areas.
On August 7, significant rainfall was recorded across Himachal Pradesh, with Joginder Nagar in Mandi district experiencing the highest at 110 mm in 24 hours. The continuous downpour has disrupted daily life, creating challenges for residents and visitors. The cloudburst and flash floods on August 1 have particularly affected the Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts.
Meanwhile, Delhi has been issued a ‘yellow’ alert for the next two days, with forecasts predicting moderate to heavy rainfall in the capital until August 11. The weather office also predicts cloudy skies and moderate rains in Delhi NCR on Saturday, according to PTI.
Heavy rains in parts of Delhi and NCR on Friday led to severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in the evening. The Met office has issued an ‘orange’ warning to “be prepared,” after previously placing the city in the ‘green’ zone for no warnings or alerts.
