Shimla, Sept. 3 -- The Himachal Pradesh Government has ordered the closure of all government and private colleges and schools, including District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), till September 7, in view of the persistent heavy rainfall and widespread damage across the state.

In an official order issued by the Department of Higher Education, Secretary (Education) Rakesh Kanwar said the state has been witnessing "persistent heavy to very heavy rainfall across all regions over the past several days, leading to widespread landslides, felling of trees, road blockages, interruptions in electricity and drinking water supply, and significant damage to public infrastructure."

The order cautioned that, due to prevailing inclement w...