Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, with the death toll due to rain-related incidents rising to 261. The state has witnessed heavy rains,
landslides and other weather-related incidents this monsoon season. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 107 people lost their lives in natural disaster-related incidents between June 30 and September 2, including 18 in landslides, 13 in drowning incidents, 11 due to lightning, and 35 from falls from steep slopes, rocks or trees. Meanwhile, 154 people lost their lives in weather-related road accidents across the hill state, reported news agency ANI. Extensive damage to infrastructure and private property has also been reported, with the total estimated loss put at Rs 1,20,296 lakh (over Rs 1,202 crore), the SEOC data showed. A total of 76 houses have been completely destroyed and 142 partially damaged, while 321 shops and cow sheds have also been affected. The Public Works Department (PWD) has reported losses of Rs 25,861.24 lakh, while damage to the Jal Shakti Vibhag (JSV) has been estimated at Rs 530.61 lakh. Till Wednesday evening, 117 roads were blocked across Himachal Pradesh. However, the situation had improved from the afternoon, when 174 roads were reported closed due to landslides, debris and other weather-related disruptions. Mandi was amongst the worst affected districts, with 47 roads blocked, followed by Shimla with 30 and Kullu with 22. The persistent adverse weather has also disrupted electricity and water supplies across the state. As many as 141 distribution transformer centres (DTRs) were non-functional, including 84 in Shimla and 43 in Mandi. Meanwhile, 51 water supply schemes remained affected, with 40 in Mandi and 11 in Bilaspur. Emergency maintenance teams, PWD workers and other field personnel have been deployed to remove landslide debris, reopen roads and restore damaged power and water infrastructure. The 24-hour State Emergency Operations Centre, which operates the 1070 helpline, is closely monitoring the situation while coordinating relief, repair and restoration efforts. State government departments and field agencies have launched restoration operations in the affected districts to reopen roads and restore power and water supply services.
