E-Paper
This July was Himachal’s second wettest in four decades
From the onset of monsoon on June 24 to July-end, natural disasters across Himachal claimed 190 lived and caused losses worth ₹5,691.79 crore
This year’s July was the second-wettest since 1980, receiving a devastating 437.5 mm actual rainfall. The same was a 71% excess from the usual 255.9mm.
It also marked the seventh highest rainfall withinessed in the state since the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) started keeping a record in 1901. The state’s most devastating July in terms of rainfall was witnessed in 1949 at 548.6 mm, IMD’s Shimla centre director Surender Paul said.
The state received fairly widespread to widespread activity this July. It was vigorous from July 7 to 9, when it received extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places leading to landslides and floods that left behind a trail of destruction.
Kullu and Mandi were the epicentre of the catastrophe, while other districts too suffered significant destruction.
Sirmaur tops rainfall chart, Kinnaur gets highest excess
Sirmaur district received the highest 1,097.5 mm rainfall, which was 151% surplus. The rainfall departure, meanwhile, was the highest at 199% in tribal Kinnaur district — which received 197.3 mm rainfall against a normal of 65.9 mm. .
Notably, all the 12 districts across the state received excess rainfall, with five districts witnessing a departure as high as between 143% to 199%.
Solan came in the second spot in terms of overall highest rainfall with 735.7mm against a normal of 303.3mm. It was followed by Kangra at 654.9 mm, against a normal of 589.3 mm.
Breaking a trend
In the last 20 years, the state has recorded a rain deficit in each year except 2005, 2021 and 2022. The surplus in these years, however, was not very significant. Last year, the state got 4% excessive rainfall and 5% in 2021.
This year, eight districts including Bilaspur, Chamba, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan received their highest rainfall in two decades.
Seven stations post all-time records
When nature unleashed its fury on July 9, seven stations in Himachal witnessed rainfall that shattered all-time records. Manali received a record 131.3 mm rainfall, up from its last high of 105.1 mm recorded on the same day in 1971.
Una received 228.5 mm rainfall, breaking its previous record of 224mm on July 22, 1927. Similarly Keylong broke its July 28, 1951, record of 78 mm 83 mm rainfall.
Rohru in Shimla district received 185 mm rainfall against a previous record of 170 mm on July 25, 1966; Ghamroor in Kangra 166 mm against 164.8 mm on July 19 last year; Pachhad 220 mm against 189.2 mm on July 26, 1973; and Nadaun in Hamirpur 160.5mm against its high from July 30, 1996.
From the onset of monsoon on June 24 to July-end, natural disasters across the state claimed 190 lived and caused losses worth ₹5,691.79 crore. Seventy-six landslides and 53 flash flood incidents had been reported during the period, state disaster management authority director DC Rana said. A total of 706 houses were fully damaged and 7,192 partially damaged in the catastrophe.
The public works department also suffered losses to the tune of ₹1,962 crore, Jal Shakti Vibhag ₹1,543 crore and the state electricity board ₹1,506 crore.
