Himachal sees 20% excess rainfall, extensive damage to infrastructure: Met Office

Shimla, Oct 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) The southwest monsoon withdrew from a majority of districts in Himachal Pradesh and remained 20 per cent excess with the state facing a number of landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts owing to heavy rainfall that lead to extensive damage to infrastructure and loss of lives, the weather bureau said here on Sunday.

The state had received the highest rainfall in 1922 with actual rainfall of 1,314.6 mm but it recorded 36th highest rainfall during this year in monsoon.

Conditions are becoming favourable for further withdrawal of monsoon from remaining parts of the state in the next two-three days, it said.

The monsoon arrived in the state on June 24. The earliest onset was on June 9, 2000, and the most delayed onset was on July 5, 2010.

The monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall in the state was normal this time with 884.8 mm of actual rainfall against the normal 734.4 mm.

The actual rainfall in June, July, August and September was 121.7 mm, 448.9 mm, 247.6 mm and 69.6 mm, respectively, said the Meteorological Office.

The extremely heavy rainfall was observed in Kangra, Hamirpur, Chamba, Una, Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Mandi districts.

From July 8 to 12, the State received large excess rainfall. Likewise, from August 11 to 14 and on August 23, the state witnessed active to vigorous monsoon activity resulting in large excess rainfall.

In September, the state received a large excess in many places in the third week.

As per the government estimates, after the heavy rains that triggered floods and landslides, the state saw a loss of 450 lives and damage to 13,000 houses.

Source: IANS