Weather conditions across Himachal Pradesh have taken a dramatic turn right as the monsoon season approaches its end, triggering widespread heavy rainfall and unseasonal snowfall in the higher reaches. Over the past twelve hours, districts including Kangra, Mandi, Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur have experienced persistent wet spells. Notably, snowfall has been recorded in the state during the month of September after a gap of approximately six years, bringing an early onset of freezing winter conditions to the mountains.
Heavy Snowfall Disrupts Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti
Fresh snow has blanketed high-altitude areas in Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Rohtang, and the Dhauladhar peaks. According to data provided by the Himachal Pradesh disaster management authority, the national highway in Kinnaur has been blocked due to continuous snow accumulation and debris. Across the entire state, roughly sixty-six roads remain closed, with the Seraj valley in Mandi district bearing the brunt of the disruptions. Furthermore, power supply has been severely crippled as around one hundred sixteen transformers have broken down.
Terrifying Landslide Strikes Rohru in Shimla
A massive landslide occurred near the Janglik bridge in the Rohru area of Shimla district, creating panic among locals. The incident, captured on video, unfolded on Sunday when falling boulders and debris tumbled down the hillside. Fortunately, alert residents heard the rumbling sound of the sliding earth in time and warned motorists traveling along the stretch. Authorities note that this specific region remains highly vulnerable to sudden rockfalls and landslips whenever weather conditions deteriorate.
Significant Temperature Plunge and Rainfall Figures
According to a bulletin issued by the meteorological center in Shimla, minimum temperatures dropped by two to four degrees Celsius in several areas over a twenty-hour window, while maximum temperatures plummeted by two to seven degrees Celsius. In some locations, the mercury dropped by as much as twelve degrees. Kangra recorded the highest downpour at seventy-three point four millimeters, followed by heavy showers in Dharamshala, Sangla, Sarahan, Paonta Sahib, Kalpa, Jogindernagar, Bhabanagar, Mandi, and Rampur.
Delayed Monsoon Retreat and Upcoming Forecast
While the monsoon typically withdraws around the twenty-fifth of September, its exit has been delayed this year. Although it has already retreated from Chandigarh and parts of Punjab, active weather systems persist in the hill state. The meteorological department has issued a yellow alert for the twenty-eighth of September, followed by forecasts of light rain on the twenty-ninth. Clear skies and dry weather with ample sunshine are expected to return across the state from the twenty-ninth onward, lasting through the fourth of October.
Staggering Cumulative Losses This Season
The disaster management authority reports that the ongoing monsoon season has inflicted cumulative financial losses amounting to roughly three thousand two hundred nineteen crore rupees across the state. The toll on human life has also been heavy, with three hundred sixty-nine fatalities recorded so far. Out of these, two hundred twenty individuals lost their lives in road accidents, while approximately one hundred forty-nine deaths resulted from landslides, flash floods, drowning, snakebites, and accidental falls from heights.
