Schools closed in Himachal’s Kullu in view of heavy rains; orange alert issued in three districts

All schools, colleges and other educational institutions were shut down in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rains on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Jaibanti Thakur, issued the closure order after the weather department warned of potentially dangerous conditions, including landslides, road blockages and flash floods. The Shimla Meteorological Office issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rains at isolated locations across Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur districts.

Torrential rains across the state caused the closure of 259 roads, disrupted 54 water supply schemes, and damaged 161 transformers, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). In Mandi, 120 roads were blocked, while 42 roads in Chamba, 40 in Kullu, 30 in Shimla, 15 in Sirmaur, 5 in Kangra, 4 in Una, 2 in Lahaul and Spiti, and 1 in Kinnaur were also closed.

The Kirathpur-Manali National Highway stretch between Mandi and Manali was shut down due to a landslide near the Jhalogi tunnel, and will reopen once the weather conditions improve.

Rainfall had been persistent, with moderate to heavy showers starting at 4 p.m. on Monday, August 10. Notable amounts included 95.2 mm in Bhattiyat, 74.1 mm in Dharamshala, 67.5 mm in Bajaura, 66.4 mm in Palampur, 51 mm in Jot, 50 mm in Jogindernagar, 43.8 mm in Kangra, 37.7 mm in Sarahan, 37.4 mm in Bhuntar, and 37.2 mm in Nagrota Suriyan.

Since the monsoon began on June 30, 68 people had lost their lives in rain-related incidents, including 14 in landslides and 1 in flash floods. The state has incurred losses totaling Rs 886 crore due to the weather event, and the weather department has predicted additional rainfall until August 17.