Himachal monsoon: 70 deaths, 204 roads blocked, damage over Rs 910 crore

Heavy monsoon rains have severely affected Himachal Pradesh, with 70 deaths, 204 roads blocked, and damage to public property estimated at over Rs 910 crore, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). The assessment covers the period from June 30 to August 11, a span of 43 days.

The SEOC data shows that 70 people died in direct disaster-related incidents, including landslides, cloudbursts, and falls from steep slopes. Landslides caused 14 deaths, while 23 people died after falling from slopes, rocks, or trees. Seven deaths were due to snake bites, six from electrocution, and four from cloudbursts. Lahaul and Spiti recorded the highest number of such deaths at 14, followed by Kangra with 12.

Separately, the same period saw 93 deaths in road accidents across the state, with Chamba reporting the most at 16, followed by Kullu (13), Sirmaur (12), and Shimla (11). These are not classified as direct disaster deaths but are part of the wider impact of the monsoon.

The cumulative damage to public property is Rs 910.35 crore. The Public Works Department incurred the largest loss at Rs 686.36 crore, while the power sector suffered damages of about Rs 203.90 crore. Houses, private structures, livestock, and crops in all 12 districts have also been affected, adding to the burden on households.

Road connectivity has been severely hit. Mandi is the worst affected with 80 roads blocked, including the Mandi-Kullu route at Jalogi Dwada. Kullu has 56 blocked roads, and Sirmaur has 23. Two national highways, NH-154 and NH-21, are also affected, disrupting inter-district travel and the movement of essential supplies and emergency teams.

Power and water infrastructure have also suffered. Forty-five distribution transformer regions are out of service, 41 of them in Sirmaur's Nahan subdivision. As many as 82 drinking water supply schemes have been disrupted, with Sirmaur accounting for 31, followed by Hamirpur (11) and Mandi (8).

Authorities and emergency teams are engaged in restoration work, clearing landslides and debris, reopening roads, and repairing power and water lines. However, continued rainfall and the risk of further landslides are hampering these efforts. The situation remains under close monitoring by the state administration.