New Delhi: As rain wreaks havoc in many parts of the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Orange and Yellow alerts in different states. The Northern states, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu, have been battling heavy rains, which are expected to last the first week of September.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for many areas of Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The districts, including Una, Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur, are on alert. Others, including Chamba, Kullu, Mandi and Shimla, may face heavy rains from Saturday, August 30. Almost all districts are expected to receive heavy rainfall between August 31 and September 3.
Himachal Pradesh suffers massive loss
The Himachal Pradesh state assembly on Thursday also passed a resolution declaring the monsoon-inflicted devastation in the state as a national disaster, under Rule 102. The Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri stated in the state assembly that so far Himachal Pradesh has suffered a loss of Rs 2,623 crore due to heavy rains.
Yellow alert in Punjab
Punjab has been battling heavy rains continuously for past many days. Due to heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, the water level in the Govind Sagar Lake of the Bhakhda Dam and Pong Dam is increasing rapidly. The IMD has issued a Yellow Alert for many districts of the state between August 29 and September 1. On Friday, the state is expected to receive severe rainfall.
Schools closed in Jammu
The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced the closure of schools until August 30 as part of safety precautions due to heavy rains. The relentless rain has caused multiple rivers in the state to swell up. The IMD declared an Orange Alert for the state from August 29 to 31, which will be followed by a yellow alert on September 1 and 2.