Himachal schools brace for closure amid 5-day rain alert | Education News
2 min readNew DelhiJul 18, 2026 02:39 PM IST
Heavy showers lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra and Chamba districts on Saturday, prompting the Shimla Meteorological Centre to issue an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rains for five days from July 19 to 23 in the state.
Jot in Chamba received 109 mm of rain since Friday evening, followed by Kangra with 77.4 mm and Palampur with 38 mm, while thunderstorms and lightning lashed Kangra and Jot.
The Met department said the orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued for isolated places in the state from July 19 to 22, while a warning for heavy rain has been issued for July 23.
The department cautioned that heavy rainfall could lead to landslides, mudslides, and flash floods in vulnerable areas. Water levels and flow in rivers and other water bodies are also likely to rise, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas.
It advised the general public to follow weather alerts and traffic advisories and avoid vulnerable areas and water bodies.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said Himachal Pradesh has been facing monsoon-related disasters since 2023 and meetings have been held at the state and district levels to take precautionary measures and monitor the situation.
He added that deputy commissioners have been authorised to decide on school closures depending on weather conditions and topography in their respective districts.