Rains of ruin Solan reels under a deluge of despair

The much-awaited monsoon that promised relief and prosperity has instead unleashed havoc across Himachal Pradesh, particularly devastating the agrarian belt. With 68% excess rainfall lashing the state this season, the bounty of rain has turned into a curse. Solan district stands as one of the worst-hit, where 131.1 mm drenched the region in a single day topped with an alarming 47 mm surplus, triggering chaos and widespread damage.

Back in May 2025, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted above-normal rainfall for the Southwest Monsoon. The prophecy proved correct but cruel, transforming into a season of peril instead of prosperity. “The excessive intensity has dealt massive blows to agriculture and infrastructure,” remarked Dr Satish Bhardwaj, Head of Environment Sciences at Dr YS Parmar University, Nauni.

The Meteorological Centre, IMD Shimla, reported that Himachal received 431.3 mm rainfall in August against a normal of 256.8 mm, marking a staggering 68% excess, the highest August downpour in 76 years. The previous comparable record was 542.4 mm in 1927.

Solan district has already received 1,094.5 mm of rain till September 5, nearly brushing past the state’s annual average of 1,131.1 mm. With no signs of the monsoon retreating, experts fear the figure may climb dangerously close to the district’s wettest record of 2,053.0 mm in 1988.

Adding to the misery were three punishing cloudbursts — 85.6 mm on June 29, 81.4 mm on August 14 and a record 178.0 mm on September 1.

Shockingly, on this single September day, Solan received more than an entire month’s rainfall, plus an excess of 47 mm, wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods. For Solan’s farmers, the rain has been a nightmare. Known as the vegetable bowl of Himachal, the district prides itself on tomatoes, capsicum, beans and cucurbits. This season, relentless downpours drowned fields, stunted crop growth and destroyed seed production.

Adding insult to injury, transportation of perishable produce has been crippled. Landslides have repeatedly cut off roads, delaying apple consignments and slashing market earnings. For thousands of farming families, every passing raincloud now carries the weight of fear.

Dr Bhardwaj explained that the surge is driven by active western disturbances coupled with monsoon trade winds, both of which have amplified rainfall intensity. Experts now urge farmers to adapt preventive measures — maintaining grassed waterways for drainage, avoiding water stagnation near homes and livestock shelters and closely following IMD’s hourly weather forecasts.

They also stress adopting early warning systems to reduce crop and property losses. With more rain on the horizon, such strategies may be the thin line between survival and ruin.