Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 29 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under relentless monsoon fury, severely affecting both public utilities and human life.According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), as of Tuesday, a total of 357 roads, including one National Highway, 182 power distribution transformers (DTRs), and 179 water supply schemes (WSS) have been disrupted across the state due to incessant rains and related disasters.The cumulative death toll for the monsoon season has climbed alarmingly.
As per official data from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), a total of 170 people have died from June 20 to date, 94 of whom died in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, electrocution, and lightning. Of these, 94 deaths are directly linked to rain-induced natural calamities, while 76 deaths were recorded due to road accidents during the same period.
Among districts, Mandi stands out as the worst-affected, reporting 259 road blockages, 172 DTR failures, and 47 disrupted water schemes, along with the highest number of fatalities due to both monsoon incidents and road mishaps.
Disasters have also caused extensive damage to houses, livestock, crops, and infrastructure. Flash floods and landslides continue to block highways and isolate communities, while restoration and rescue operations are ongoing under the supervision of local authorities, aided by NDRF, SDRF, and police teams.
Officials have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable zones and to stay alert amid continuing rainfall forecasts.Earlier today, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that torrential rains wreaked havoc in Mandi district last night, particularly hitting the Jail Road area where two people were killed earlier and more are missing, buried in debris.Speaking to reporters in Shimla, the Chief Minister termed the event as a possible “cloudburst-like” disaster and assured that immediate rescue and relief measures were underway.”
“Heavy rain lashed Mandi last night, causing severe damage to the Jail Road area. Two deaths have been reported. Given the scale of the disaster, I can say it resembles a cloudburst-like situation,” said Sukhu. (ANI)
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