Shimla, July 12
The Indian Meteorological Department issued a moderate rain orange alert in five districts; however, the remaining districts may remain mainly dry, humid, and sunny, with scattered rain and thundershowers predicted in the next 24 hours.
Issuing the moderate rain alert today, the IMD said that medium-intensity rain would occur in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh. Mid and foothill areas would receive monsoon showers at many places and a few places in the high reaches. Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are also expected at isolated places today and tomorrow.
Monsoon activity is likely to be confined to the mid-hills in the next 24 hours at many places; however, the rest of the state is likely to have rain at isolated to a few places. On July 14 and 15, the monsoon is likely to remain active in isolated to a few places and may be mainly dry in the high reaches. According to the IMD, the monsoon is likely to pick up in the state after July 17 onward.
Mainly dry weather in most places of Solan and Shimla districts benefited the farmers, allowing them to work in the fields and counter the outbreak of fungal diseases in the tomato, Shimla Mirch, and apple crops.
The abode of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Dharamsala, had 13 mm of rain; Palampur, six mm; and tourist resorts Dalhousie and Shimla, three mm. A yellow alert was issued at isolated places for heavy rain, which may cause road flooding and waterlogging in low-lying areas. The fog and overcast sky may reduce visibility amid heavy rain.
This capital town was mainly dry today. The district administration has denied the report of a landslide at Manimahesh in Chamba district; the road has been closed since last year. The Manimahesh yatra normally takes place after the rainy season is over.
According to the disaster management authority, only ten roads, including four in the Shimla or Rampur division, and three each in the Mandi and Kangra districts of Dharmapuri, Indora, Jaisinghpur, and Nagrota Bagwan, are affected by the rain in the last 24 hours.
Power supply is still affected in 49 distribution transformer regions, including 35 DTRs in the Sarkaghat and Jogindernagar subdivisions, and 15 DTRs in Chamba and Tissa. Water supply was normal in the state.
Shimla town witnessed heavy landslides near Gurudwara ISBT Shimla, still causing constraints to vehicle movement. Chief Minister Sukhinder Singh Sukhu also visited the spot last night around 10:30 pm. Illegal dumping of muck at several places in the state causes disruption on the roads, filling them with mud and debris. Most cross-drainage also leads to water flowing on the roads, turning them into pools at many places.
The administration in the state never bothers to inspect the work done by the contractors, as crores of rupees were spent to open such drainage on the major roads before the monsoon season broke out. The poor solid waste garbage collection and dumping of urban waste in the cross drainage in Shimla town causes havoc during the rainy season year after year, lament many residents.
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