|
Deputy Commissioner, the local MLA and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on Friday visited rain-affected areas of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district to assess the situation and oversee relief and rescue operations as relentless rainfall over the past 36 hours disrupted normal life, prompting authorities to open all 10 gates of the Giri Jaton Dam and issue alerts for downstream areas.
With the water level in the Giri River rising steadily due to incessant rain, officials released water from the dam as a precautionary measure and warned of the possibility of flooding and landslides. Residents living along the river have been advised to remain vigilant and avoid venturing near the riverbanks. The continuous rainfall has caused widespread damage across the district. In Nahan, a retaining wall collapsed, sending debris onto nearby houses. The district administration launched rescue operations and shifted affected residents to safer locations. Heavy rain also led to waterlogging at several locations, while dozens of roads across the district were blocked due to landslides and debris, disrupting traffic movement and connectivity. As a precautionary measure, all educational institutions in Sirmaur district remained closed on Friday in view of the continuing heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions. The district administration has appealed to residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary and to follow official advisories as intense monsoon activity continues across the district. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under an active monsoon on Friday as torrential rain lashed several parts of the state over the past 24 hours, with Pachhad in Sirmaur district recording an extremely heavy 207 mm of rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the wet spell is likely to persist, issuing a heavy rainfall alert for isolated places across the state until July 15. According to the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, the ongoing weather activity is being driven by a low-pressure area over the northern parts of central Uttar Pradesh and a Western Disturbance persisting over North Pakistan. The prevailing weather systems are drawing abundant moisture into Himachal Pradesh, resulting in widespread rainfall across the state. Among the highest rainfall recorded during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Friday, Pachhad received 207 mm, followed by Nahan with 158.5 mm, Kasauli 145 mm, Dharampur 136.8 mm, Solan 113 mm and Palampur 109 mm. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning were reported from Shimla, Kangra and Jot, while no incidents of snowfall, hail or significant gusty winds were reported. The persistent rain also led to a sharp drop in daytime temperatures across many parts of the state. Maximum temperatures remained 2C to 10C below normal due to dense cloud cover and continuous rainfall. Dehra Gopipur recorded the highest maximum temperature at 32.4C, while Kukumseri remained the coldest with a minimum temperature of 9.4C. The IMD has forecast widespread to fairly widespread rainfall over Himachal Pradesh during the next six days. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places from July 10 to July 15, prompting authorities to advise residents and tourists to remain vigilant, particularly in landslide-prone and low-lying areas. As of the latest forecast, no heavy rainfall warning has been issued for July 16, although monsoon activity is expected to continue across the state. (ANI)
|
