The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Thursday, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Sirmaur and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. A yellow alert has also been issued for six other districts — Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Solan — indicating the likelihood of heavy rain.
During the past 24 hours, many areas across the state saw light to moderate showers. Notably, Bilaspur and Dhaulakuan in Sirmaur district received very heavy rainfall. Manali recorded 46 mm of rain, while Jubbal in Shimla district registered 5 cm.
“Most regions of Himachal Pradesh experienced light to moderate rainfall in the last 24 hours, with very heavy showers recorded specifically in Bilaspur and Dhaulakuan,” said Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at IMD Himachal Pradesh, in a statement to ANI.
Moderate rain was also reported in districts such as Mandi, Bilaspur, and Hamirpur. The IMD has forecast that rainfall will continue across much of the state on July 10, particularly in the lower and mid-hill regions including Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, and Sirmaur.
“There is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations, especially in Kangra and Sirmaur, where an orange alert has been issued,” Sharma said. “A yellow alert has been issued in other districts for possible heavy rainfall.”
Rainfall intensity is expected to decline slightly on July 11 and 12, although some districts such as Mandi, Shimla, and Sirmaur may still see isolated heavy showers.
Between July 13 and 16, rainfall activity is expected to pick up again, affecting most parts of the state. Districts like Kangra, Mandi, Kullu, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Sirmaur may receive heavy rainfall at isolated places during this period.
As of July 10, Himachal Pradesh has received 23% more rainfall than average for the current month. Districts such as Una, Shimla, and Mandi have received nearly double the normal rainfall, while regions like Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Chamba have reported below-normal levels.
“From June 1 to July 10, the state has recorded 29% above-normal rainfall,” Sharma said. “Most districts have seen normal to excess rainfall this monsoon, except for Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.”
In response to the continuing rainfall, IMD has issued flash flood advisories for Shimla and Sirmaur districts for July 10. “Flash flood bulletins are being regularly issued and shared with the state authorities,” Sharma noted.
He further added that the monsoon is expected to remain active across Himachal Pradesh through mid-July. “Only one month of the monsoon has passed, and current indications suggest that weather activity will stay active until at least July 16,” he said.
