Himachal Pradesh Closes Schools Amid Heavy Rainfall Warnings
School Closures in Himachal Pradesh Due to Severe Weather
Shimla. In response to the ongoing torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh, authorities have decided to close all government and private educational institutions, including Anganwadi centers, in the Sirmaur and Solan districts on Friday, July 10. The meteorological department has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall across various regions of the state, along with alerts for landslides, flash floods, uprooted trees, and road blockages.
Separate orders issued by Sirmaur's Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Verma and Solan's Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma indicate that the continuous rainfall has disrupted traffic on rural roads and increased the risk of landslides. Given the potential danger to children commuting to and from school, this precautionary measure has been implemented. The directive is enforced under Section 30(5) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. However, all academic and non-academic staff are required to report for duty and will not be granted leave.
According to rainfall data, significant precipitation has been recorded in several areas of the state since Thursday evening. The highest rainfall was noted in Pachhad, Sirmaur, with 207 mm, followed by Nahan with 158.5 mm, Kasauli with 145 mm, and Dharmapur with 136.8 mm. Other areas such as Solan received 113 mm, Palampur 109 mm, and Shimla 58.8 mm. Additionally, moderate to heavy rainfall has been reported in several other locations, including Kufri, Bharwain, Paonta Sahib, and Mashobra.
The heavy rainfall has also severely impacted daily life in the state capital, Shimla. According to the District Disaster Management Authority, 27 roads in Shimla district have been closed to vehicle traffic. In the Development Nagar area of the city, a wall collapsed in front of a building, damaging two vehicles. Meanwhile, in the Brandi village of the Sunni area, a protective wall of a house fell, and water has accumulated in the ITI campus, where efforts are ongoing to safely evacuate residents.