Himalayan States on Alert: Schools Shut, Landslides Disrupt Life as Relentless Rain Batters Himachal, Uttarakhand

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall continued to batter Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Friday, triggering landslides, rockfalls, road closures and widespread disruption to daily life. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of more intense rainfall, authorities have stepped up precautionary measures, shut schools in several districts and placed disaster response teams on high alert.InHimachal Pradesh, all government and private schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres remained closed in Sirmaur and Solan districts after relentless rain increased the risk of landslides, flash floods and road blockages. District administrations said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of students as rural roads became unsafe due to continuous

downpours. Teaching and non-teaching staff, however, were directed to report to work.The weather wreaked havoc across the state, with Pachhad in Sirmaur recording 207 mm of rainfall, followed by Nahan (158.5 mm), Kasauli (145 mm) and Dharampur (136.8 mm). Solan received 113 mm of rain, while several other areas, including Shimla, Kufri and Palampur, also witnessed heavy showers.Rain-related incidents were reported from multiple locations. Two people were injured in Solan's Arki area after rocks fell on a moving vehicle. Similar rockfalls forced authorities to restrict traffic to a single lane on stretches of the Kalka-Shimla National Highway.The rain also damaged infrastructure in Shimla district, where 27 link roads were closed. A wall collapsed in Vikasnagar, damaging parked vehicles, while waterlogging at an Industrial Training Institute in Sunni prompted evacuation efforts. Heavy rainfall also led to the closure of several roads in Sirmaur district.Meanwhile, Uttarakhand witnessed its own spell of monsoon devastation. An 18-year-old died after being swept away in a rain-fed river in Haridwar district, while two pedestrians suffered minor injuries when a tree collapsed in Nainital.The state recorded widespread rainfall over the past 24 hours, with Bhagwanpur receiving 232 mm, followed by Roorkee (190 mm), Kirtinagar (140 mm) and Laksar (114 mm).The downpour triggered landslides across the hill state, forcing the closure of 118 roads, including parts of the Yamunotri National Highway, where a 100-metre stretch near Syanachatti was damaged. The Gangotri National Highway also witnessed repeated disruptions due to falling boulders and debris.Continuous rainfall caused water levels in the Ganga, Yamuna and several tributaries to rise. While river levels remain below the danger mark, officials said they are being closely monitored.The IMD has issued an Orange Alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several Uttarakhand districts, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Champawat. As a precaution, schools up to Class 12 have been closed in Dehradun, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Bageshwar, Nainital, Champawat and Pauri.Authorities in both states have advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, especially through hilly and landslide-prone areas, as the forecast warns of continued heavy rainfall that could trigger fresh landslides, flash floods, uprooted trees and further road blockades. Disaster management teams, district administrations and rescue agencies remain on standby as the monsoon continues to intensify across the Himalayan region.