JAMMU, AUG 24
All districts of Jammu & Kashmir will witness heavy rains during this two-day forecast period. Himachal’s Kullu, Shimla, Sirmau, Solan and Mandi districts face high chances of heavy downpours, while Dehradun and Tehri districts of Uttarakhand are in for similar conditions until Thursday.
The IMD has indicated that this rain spell will be created by a combination of a well-marked low-pressure area that currently lies over southwest Rajasthan and its neighbourhood along with its associated cyclonic circulation; and the monsoon trough, whose western end is south of its normal position, while the eastern end is near its normal position.
A western disturbance will also have an effect on the weather over Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir through Thursday (August 25), The Weather Channel’s met team has added.
Himachal Pradesh has been reeling under the impacts of flash floods and cloudburst-like conditions since last week, with the state’s rain-related death toll racking up at an alarming rate. And while the precipitation intensities have since slowed down, it looks like the rain gods are reluctant to spare Himachal and its neighbouring states entirely just yet.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Western Himalayan Region is set to experience heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours.
To be more specific, fairly widespread to widespread light or moderate rains with isolated heavy showers (64.5 mm-115.5 mm), thunderstorms and lightning are very likely over Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday and Thursday (August 24 and 25), and Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir on just Wednesday.
In view of these forecasts, a yellow watch has been issued over all three states and territories until Thursday, so as to urge the locals to “be updated” about the inclement weather.
Meanwhile, five more deaths (three in Chamba and one each in Hamirpur and Sirmaur) from rain-related incidents were reported in Himachal on Tuesday, taking its death toll during this monsoon season alone to 254. Nearly 90 roads in Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, Kangra and Solan remained blocked as of Tuesday, and the rains and subsequent floods have damaged as many as 86 power distribution transformers and 85 water supply schemes. This is why the current heavy rain forecasts do not bode well for the northern state.
Therefore, to ensure the residents’ safety, Shimla’s met department has shared advisories regarding the possible disruption of essential services like water, electricity, communications and related services. It has also warned of a decrease in visibility and the possibility of landslides due to heavy rainfall in hilly regions.
Such incessant rains have been battering the region consistently, but they seem to have had little impact on the state’s overall rainfall stats. Between June 1 and August 23, both Himachal (551.2 mm) and Uttarakhand (786.1 mm) have seen rainfall deficits of 2% and 13% compared to their respective long-term average figures for the period. But in the same duration, Jammu and Kashmir has managed to record 472.8 mm, exceeding its average by 14%.
