Schools will remain shut across several northern states on Tuesday as torrential rains, floods, and landslides continue to wreak havoc. Authorities in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and parts of Haryana have announced closures, while the Army and disaster management teams remain engaged in extensive rescue and relief operations.
1. Punjab
All government, aided, recognised, and private schools will remain shut until Wednesday, September 3. The Punjab government has also extended the closure to colleges, universities, and polytechnic institutes. Officials said the state has logged 253.7 mm of rainfall this August — the highest in 25 years, and 74 per cent above normal. Many families in flood-hit Hoshiarpur have resorted to living in tractor-trolleys as makeshift shelters.
2. Himachal Pradesh
According to PTI, the state government has announced the closure of all schools and colleges in nine districts — Shimla, Kangra, Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Solan, and Lahaul-Spiti. The move follows a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall and the risk of landslides. Officials confirmed five deaths, including a father and daughter, in separate landslides in Shimla. The Shimla meteorological centre said August 2025 has been the wettest in 76 years, with 431.3 mm of rain recorded.
3. Uttarakhand (Chamoli District)
All schools and Anganwadi centres from classes 1 to 12 in Chamoli district have been ordered to remain closed due to forecasts of very heavy rain. Meanwhile, a landslide near Munkatiya on the Kedarnath route killed two pilgrims and injured six, leading to the suspension of the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimages till September 5.
4. Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu Division)
Authorities have ordered the closure of all government and private schools in the Jammu Division on September 2 because of incessant rain. The Mata Vaishno Devi yatra remains suspended for the seventh consecutive day after a landslide claimed 34 lives last week. During a visit to flood-hit areas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “The Modi government is committed to ensuring the rehabilitation of those affected by recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir.”
5. Gurugram (Haryana)
The district administration has directed schools in Gurugram to shift to online classes on September 2, with heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted.
No School Closure Announced In Delhi
In the national capital, no official holiday has been declared. However, the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert. Parents have been advised to check with schools for last-minute announcements, as many are expected to move classes online.
Meanwhile, the Army’s Western Command reported that over 5,000 civilians have been rescued from flood-affected areas in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu. Around 21 tonnes of relief material have been distributed. A total of 47 Army columns, supported by aviation units and Indian Air Force helicopters, are engaged in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
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