Since the start of the monsoon in late June, heavy rain has caused flash floods and cloudbursts in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, leading to loss of lives and large-scale damage.

One of the worst recent incidents took place in Dharali village in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. A cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga river buried part of the once-popular tourist spot under 15 to 20 metres of debris, leaving many people missing.

Weather alert for August 14–17

As Uttarakhand recovers from this disaster, the state’s weather department has issued a warning for heavy to very heavy rain in all districts on Thursday (Aug 14).

"Heavy to very heavy rain/ Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning / Intense to Very intense spell of rain likely to occur at isolated places in all districts of Uttarakhand," the forecast bulletin said.

Similar conditions are expected over the next three days, August 15, 16, and 17, with heavy rainfall at isolated places and chances of intense spells in some areas.

Rainfall pattern in the state

Uttarakhand receives most of its monsoon rain between June and September, with an annual average of 1,700 mm. This season has already seen multiple extreme weather events.

Himachal’s worst-hit districts

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, the monsoon has also been destructive. The districts of Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba have suffered the most, with the highest casualties and infrastructure damage.

Mandi recorded 574.7 mm of rain in July, the highest in the state so far this monsoon.

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