Rain-Battered Himachal to Get Two-Day Relief from July 24

After enduring relentless monsoon fury over the past several days, Himachal Pradesh may get a brief window of respite from heavy rainfall starting July 24. According to the latest bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre Shimla, the state is likely to witness a temporary lull in intense rain activity on July 24 and 25.

While light to moderate rainfall is still expected at a few places during these two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has not issued any heavy rain warning for the period—bringing some relief to disaster-hit regions.

As per the 24-hour data ending 8:30 AM on July 22, light to moderate rain was recorded at most places, while isolated heavy showers were reported in a few locations. The highest rainfall was recorded at Amb (Una) – 9 cm, followed by Bharari (Hamirpur) – 7 cm, Barthin (Bilaspur) – 6 cm, and Nadaun (Hamirpur), Jogindarnagar and Karsog (Mandi) – 5 cm each. Other significant readings include Kasauli (Solan) – 4 cm, Dehra Gopipur (Kangra) – 4 cm, and Sarahan and Kufri (Shimla) – 3 cm.

The monsoon activity remained active over the state during this period. Temperatures were largely below normal, with maximum temperatures falling by 4–9°C across many stations. The lowest minimum temperature was recorded at Narkanda – 13.7°C, while the highest maximum temperature was observed in Paonta Sahib – 32.0°C.

According to the forecast, rainfall activity is set to intensify again from July 26 onwards, with the possibility of heavy rain spells returning on July 26, 27, and 28 in parts of the state. Meanwhile, maximum temperatures are expected to rise gradually by 3–5°C, though minimums are likely to remain stable.

The IMD has urged people to stay alert for localized rain-related risks such as landslides and flash floods and to follow advisories issued by the district administrations. As the state steps into a brief break from the extreme weather, emergency response teams and citizens alike are expected to use the window to recover and prepare for another round of showers in the days ahead.

So far the death toll has rised to 132 and cumulative losses mounting to over Rs 1,24,6.90 crore, have been recorded according to the latest report from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC)