E-Paper
Signs of monsoon weakening in Himachal, 55% rain deficit in 1st week of August
Apart from localised events of torrential rains that triggered flash floods, rainfall activity has mostly remained light to moderate in the hill state. Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Shimla centre director Surender Paul said Himachal recorded 30.6mm rain against a normal of 68.4mm in the first week of the month.
After record-breaking downpour in the month of July that led to widespread havoc across Himachal, a weakening monsoon system resulted in 55% rain deficit in the first week of August.
Apart from localised events of torrential rains that triggered flash floods, rainfall activity has mostly remained light to moderate in the hill state. Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Shimla centre director Surender Paul said the state got 30.6mm rain against a normal of 68.4mm in the first week of the month.
At 99%, the highest rain deficit was recorded in Lahaul-Spiti, the tribal district and a cold desert, where rainfall was almost nil, whereas the district gets a normal of 29.1mm rainfall during this period.
Kullu district got 9.1mm rain against a normal of 47.9mm, thus a deficit of 81%.
Kinnaur was 79% rain deficit, receiving only 3.7mm rainfall. Under normal circumstances, the rain would have been 16.7mm.
The rain deficit in Chamba was 77%, Shimla 61%, Una 49%, Sirmaur 43%, Mandi 41%, Kangra 38%, Solan 31%, Hamirpur 21% and Bilaspur 15%.
Paul said the monsoon system is likely to remain weak with light to moderate rainfall in most places with no weather alert till August 10.
Meanwhile, isolated places in the state experienced heavy rainfall on Monday. Olinda in Bilaspur got a record 180mm rain, Naina Devi 162.6mm and Bilaspur 139mm.
Dhaulakuan saw 33.5mm rain, Dharamshala 31.8mm, Paonta Sahib 22mm, Jubberhatti 18mm, USA 15.2mm, Berthin 15mm, Palampur 14mm, Nahan 13.8mm and Dalhousie 12mm.
186 roads continue to remain closed in state
As on Monday, 186 roads, including National Highway-5, continued to remain closed in the state. The maximum such roads are in Shimla district (77) followed by Kullu (50) and Mandi (27).
The blocked roads in upper Shimla region have adversely hit apple transportation.
Losses due to natural disasters this monsoon have now mounted to ₹6,687.8 crore. The public works department is the worst-hit with the losses due to damage to vital infrastructure — roads and bridges — pegged at ₹2,087.70 crore, whereas the Jal Shakti department has suffered losses amounting to ₹1,629.81 crore and the state electricity board ₹1,505.73 crore.
