Himachal monsoon: 197 deaths in 50 days, losses cross Rs 1000 crore

Monsoon fury in Himachal Pradesh has caused 197 deaths and over Rs 1,000 crore in losses in 50 days. Heavy rains triggered landslides, blocking 88 roads and disrupting power and water supplies, with Mandi being the worst-hit district.

Himachal Pradesh has recorded 197 deaths in 50 days of the monsoon disaster period since June 30, with 81 fatalities attributed directly to rain-triggered disasters and another 116 to road accidents, while cumulative losses have crossed Rs 1,000 crore amid the continuous heavy rainfall in several parts of the state.

Infrastructure Disruption and Restoration

According to the latest State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) data released on Tuesday evening, the state continued to battle the impact of heavy rain and landslides, with 88 roads blocked across Himachal Pradesh as of 5 pm. However, restoration operations made progress during the day, with the number of blocked roads falling from 105 in the morning.

Mandi remains the worst affected, with 32 roads blocked, followed by Kullu with 25 and Sirmaur with 10. Power restoration also gathered pace, with active distribution transformer (DTR) disruptions falling from 36 in the morning to 12 by evening. Hamirpur accounted for nine disrupted transformers, followed by Shimla with two and Kullu with one.

The rain has also disrupted 19 water supply schemes across the state, including 12 in Hamirpur, five in Shimla and two in Bilaspur.

Breakdown of Fatalities

Further, of the 197 deaths recorded since June 30, 81 were caused by natural and weather-related disasters. These included 28 deaths due to falls or rockslides, 14 caused by landslides, five by accidental drowning, eight from snake bites and eight from electrocution.

Lahaul-Spiti recorded the highest number of disaster-related deaths at 14, followed by Kangra with 13 and Shimla with 12.

Road Accident Fatalities

The remaining 116 deaths occurred in road accidents during the monsoon period. Sirmaur reported the highest number of road accident fatalities at 17, followed by Chamba with 16.

Widespread Damage and Financial Loss

The monsoon disasters have also caused extensive damage to private property and livestock. According to the latest figures, 85 structures have been completely destroyed, while 314 houses have suffered partial damage. At least 429 animals have also died.

A total of 313 people have been injured, while one person remains missing in Kangra.

The cumulative financial loss has reached more than ₹1,001.71 crore, with the Public Works and Irrigation departments accounting for a major share of the damage.

Official Advisories and Ongoing Operations

State emergency authorities and field agencies continue to monitor the situation and carry out road clearance, power restoration and other relief operations across the affected districts.

The weather conditions could trigger localised landslides, flash floods and sudden rises in the water levels of rivers, rivulets and other water bodies, particularly in mid-hill and low-hill areas.

Residents have been advised to avoid venturing close to rivers, streams and other vulnerable locations during heavy rain and to remain alert to official weather and traffic advisories.

The authorities have also urged commuters and tourists to check road conditions before undertaking journeys, as further rainfall could lead to fresh blockages and disruption of transportation.

A layer of fog engulfed the Queen of the Hills as heavy rainfall lashed several parts of the state on Tuesday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)