Over 60 Killed, Many Feared Buried; Why is Himachal Pradesh Receiving So Much Rain | Explained

At least 60 people have been killed in Himachal Pradesh as heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, and landslides have created havoc in the state, triggering landslides, blocking key roads, and damaging houses. Many people are feared to be buried under the debris of house collapses and landslides. 

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are carrying out rescue operations in landslide-hit areas of Summerhill and Fagli.  

The loss of lives and property has been reported from districts including Mandi, where 19 people have died; Solan, where 11 have been killed; Shimla, where 14 bodies have been pulled out; and Hamirpur, where four people have died.

Predictions for Coming Days

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the next 24 hours. The Met department has issued a “red alert” for both hilly states, which will later be downgraded to an “orange alert.”

The weather office predicted extremely heavy rains in nine out of 12 districts of the state, barring Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, on Monday and issued a yellow warning for Tuesday.

Dr Charan Singh, a meteorological scientist at IMD, stated, “Due to a western disturbance and southwesterly winds arising from the Arabian Sea, there will be heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the next 24 hours. This intensity will decrease to heavy rainfall on the second day and gradually diminish. Overall, there is a red alert for both states in the next 24 hours and an orange alert for the subsequent day.”

An alert was issued by the India Meteorological Department regarding heavy rains in the state on August 13 and 14. The rainfall is expected to continue in the state till August 18.

Why Himachal is Seeing Heavy Rains?

A total of 170 incidents of cloudburst and landslide have been reported in Himachal Pradesh this monsoon season and about 9,600 houses partially or completely damaged. Last month too, the state saw heavy rainfall claiming 130 lives due to landslides, and floods.

Currently, the monsoon is weakening and the weather department has predicted subdued rainfall over the plains because the monsoon trough has moved northward from its normal position passing over the Indo-Gangetic plains up to Bay of Bengal.

In the 14 days of this month till Monday, Himachal Pradesh recorded 147.40 mm rains against the normal level of 140.20 mm, an excess of 5%. However, on Monday, in just 24 hours, Kangra received 273 mm of rain, while Sujanpur got 254 mm, Dharamshala got 250 mm, Jogindernagar got 175 mm, Sundernagar got 168 mm and Shimla received 126 mm.

M Mohapatra, director general of IMD, said that the monsoon trough is north of its normal position and is currently over the Himalayan foothills.

“This region has been receiving heavy rain for a week now, so it’s also accumulated impact. On Sunday, a feeble western disturbance also interacted with the monsoon trough, and it is continuing to interact on Monday also. The monsoon trough will gradually shift southward now temporarily which will lead to reduction of rainfall over the hills and increase in rainfall over east-central India,” Mohapatra told Hindustan Times.

According to M Rajeevan, former secretary in Ministry of Earth Sciences, the heavy rains in the Himalayas was expected as the monsoon trough shifts north close to foothills during the monsoon breaks producing heavy downpour in the hill and northeast India.