Himachal Pradesh Rain
: Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under the impact of heavy monsoon rains, with 157 people losing their lives and cumulative damages crossing Rs 886 crore since June 30. The state has reported widespread damage to roads, power infrastructure, water supply systems, houses and other public and private assets as rescue and restoration operations continue across several districts.According to the latest cumulative damage statement released by the Himachal Pradesh government, 157 people have died in rain-related incidents between June 30 and August 9, while 257 people have been injured. Two people are still reported missing.
Of the 157 fatalities, 68 were caused by natural incidents such as landslides, drowning, snake bites
and falls, while 89 people died in road accidents during the period.
Chamba has recorded the highest number of deaths at 24, followed by Kangra and Kullu with 21 fatalities each. Shimla has reported 20 deaths, while Lahaul & Spiti has recorded 18.
106 Roads Blocked Across Himachal
The continuing rainfall has severely disrupted road connectivity across the hill state. As per the latest State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) report, 106 roads remain blocked.
Kullu is among the worst-affected districts, with 40 roads closed across the Kullu, Banjar, Anni and Nirmand subdivisions. Mandi has reported 38 blocked roads, particularly in Seraj, Thalout and adjoining areas. Another nine roads remain closed in Shimla.
Emergency teams and road-clearing crews are working to restore connectivity in the affected areas.
Power Supply & Water Infra Hit
The monsoon has also disrupted power supply across the state, with 66 Distribution Transformer Regions (DTRs) reported out of service. Mandi accounts for 63 of these affected DTRs.
Water supply has also been affected, with 19 schemes disrupted across the state. Shimla has reported damage to 12 water supply schemes, followed by Hamirpur with five and Bilaspur with two.
Over 880 Private Structures Damaged
The rains have caused extensive damage to private property. More than 880 structures, including houses, shops and cattle sheds, have been damaged.
The government’s cumulative assessment puts the loss to private property at Rs 483.565 lakh. As many as 64 houses have been completely destroyed, including 22 pucca and 42 kaccha houses. Another 255 houses have suffered partial damage, comprising 94 pucca and 161 kaccha structures.
The damage also includes 13 shops or factories, three labour sheds, 217 cow sheds and three water mills or shamshan ghats.
Kangra has emerged as the worst-affected district in terms of completely destroyed houses, with 17 pucca and 20 kaccha houses reported destroyed.
PWD Bears Biggest Infra Loss
Public infrastructure has suffered the largest share of the financial damage caused by the monsoon.
The Public Works Department has reported losses of Rs 66,279.1 lakh, while the Jal Shakti Vibhag has suffered damages worth Rs 20,389.51 lakh.
The power sector has reported losses of Rs 530.61 lakh, while the education sector has suffered damages of Rs 214.2 lakh. Agriculture and horticulture losses have been estimated at Rs 72.04 lakh and Rs 6.92 lakh, respectively.
Overall, the state government has estimated cumulative monetary losses at Rs 88,637.55 lakh, or more than Rs 886 crore, as of August 9.
Monsoon Also Takes Toll On animals
The impact has extended beyond human life and infrastructure. Himachal Pradesh has reported the loss of 201 animals and birds, causing an estimated financial loss of Rs 33.605 lakh.
With heavy rain continuing to pose a threat in several parts of the state, authorities remain on high alert. Rescue teams and government agencies are continuing restoration work, including clearing blocked roads, restoring electricity and repairing damaged water supply infrastructure.
