Himachal monsoon fury: 78 killed, search underway for missing 30 people as cloudbursts, floods & landslides wreak havoc
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), as many as 78 deaths have been reported in the state since the start of the monsoon. However, only 50 were linked to rain-related incidents.
121 other people in the state have reportedly sustained injuries so far.
By Sunday evening, 243 roads were closed in the state, 183 of which were in the Mandi district alone.
The estimated losses from the rains so far are around ₹ 572 crore, according to the SEOC. However, the chief minister stated that the figure is closer to ₹ 700 crore as data is still being compiled.
An official said that search and rescue operations are underway with drones and sniffer dogs being used to trace 30 people who went missing in the Thunag, Gohar and Karsog subdivisions of Mandi last week.
About 250 personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces, Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Home Guards, along with the administration and locals, are undertaking the search and rescue work.
Besides, 20 teams are gathering information and distributing ration and medical kits in inaccessible areas. So far, 1,538 ration kits have been distributed to the affected people and immediate relief of ₹ 12.44 lakh has been provided.
The local Met office has issued a yellow warning of heavy rain at isolated places in the state till July 10, Thursday.
Meanwhile, light to moderate rain lashed parts of the state. Nangal Dam received 56 mm of rain, followed by Olinda (46 mm), Berthin (44.6 mm), Una (43 mm), Naina Devi (36.4 mm), Gohar (29 mm) and Brahmani (28.4 mm).
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed a CID investigation into the large quantity of wood found deposited at the Pandoh Dam following a recent flood, triggered by a cloud burst on June 24.
Concerned over the timber's origins and legality, the CM has instructed state authorities to launch a thorough probe.
The Chief Minister has specifically asked to identify whether the wood belonged to the Forest Department or somewhere else.
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Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Monsoon fury in Himachal: Driver swept away after truck falls in Beas; shooting stone claims life of UP pilgrim
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Police and SDRF teams reached the spot and started the rescue operation. Most of the vehicle has been swept away in the strong current and only a few pieces of the vehicle are visible outside the river. At present it is not clear how many people were in the vehicle. Police and relief teams are continuously conducting search operations, but no trace of any person has been found yet, he said. Meanwhile, in Kullu flashfloods in the Nallah in Shastri Nagar damaged houses and vehicles, triggering panic among locals. However, there was no loss of life, Kullu municipal council president Mahant Gopal Dass said. On Monday night, following incidents of cloudbursts, flashfloods and landslides a foot bridge in Silbhudhani village of Mandi district was washed away, a statement issued by the sub-divisional magistrate said. Meanwhile water entered houses and shops in Una and Amb owing to rains. 366 roads, along with 2 national highways blocked A total of 366 roads, along with 2 national highways, were closed for vehicular traffic on Wednesday. Among these, 174 roads were closed in Mandi district and 125 in the adjoining Kullu, the state emergency operation centre (SEOC) informed. National highway (NH) 305 was blocked at Jhed due to sinking of road near Jhedkhang, even the alternate route via Kandugad was also blocked. Due to landslides triggered by heavy rains Mandi-Jogindernagar road (NH 154) were closed, it said. Mandi-Kullu road (NH 21) which was blocked during the morning has been opened for traffic through single lane. Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan said that two mobile medical vans have been deployed for the convenience of passengers between Pandoh and Aut on the Kiratpur-Manali NH. Services of a doctor, pharmacist and lab attendant will be available in each van. 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Earlier, minister for town and country planning, housing and technical education Rajesh Dharmani called on CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the assembly complex and raised the matter. The minister highlighted that when major stretches of the highway remain partially or fully blocked, it is not justified to charge toll fees . He urged that toll collection be suspended in the larger public interest. The CM assured that the issue would be taken up seriously and necessary steps would be taken in coordination with the National Highways Authority of India and other concerned departments. Subsequently, later in the evening, DC and chairperson of the district disaster management authority, Rahul Kumar, issued orders under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, suspending toll collection at Baloh and Garamora toll plazas with immediate effect for a period of one month. No respite from rain The local meteorological office issued an orange alert predicting few spells of light rain with one or two moderate/intense spells very likely over some parts of Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts. While few spells of light rain with one or two spells moderate spells very likely in other parts of the state. Meanwhile, the death toll in Himachal rain-related incidents this monsoon has gone up to 280 since June 20. According to the Himachal Pradesh state disaster management authority, 145 fatalities were caused by landslides, flash floods, drowning, and electrocution, while 135 people died in road accidents during the season. The state has incurred losses to the tune of ₹2,28 crore, officials said.
Time of India
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- Time of India
U'khand sees 30% surge in disaster toll, deadliest in recent yrs
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NDTV
13 hours ago
- NDTV
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Shimla: The monsoon's fury in Himachal Pradesh has left 276 people dead since June 20, with 143 fatalities caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, electrocution, and falls from steep slopes, while 133 deaths were the result of road accidents, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA). The HPSDMA's cumulative loss report shows that 336 people have been injured and 37 are missing during the ongoing monsoon season. The district-wise breakdown of rain-related deaths shows Mandi (26 deaths), Kangra (29), Chamba (13), Hamirpur (13), Kinnaur (12), and Kullu (12) among the worst affected. Road accidents claimed the most lives in Chamba (21 deaths), Mandi (21), Kangra (18), and Kinnaur (13). The human toll has been compounded by heavy losses to livestock, 1,797 animals and 25,755 poultry birds have perished, and extensive damage to public and private property. Public utilities have suffered widespread damage. As per the State Emergency Operation Centre's report for August 20 till 10 AM, 359 roads, including three national highways (NH-305, NH-21, and NH-154), remain blocked due to landslides and debris flows. The road closures have severely hit connectivity in districts such as Kullu (104 roads blocked), Mandi (181), and Chamba (22). The Public Works Department has suffered losses worth over Rs 1,21,675.58 lakh, Jal Shakti Vibhag Rs 73,294.76 lakh, and Power Department Rs 13,946.69 lakh, pushing the total estimated damage to over Rs 2,21,164.75 lakh. The HPSDMA has urged residents to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel in landslide-prone areas, and follow weather advisories closely, as the risk of further rain-induced disasters remains high. Power supply has been disrupted with 550 distribution transformers (DTRs) out of service across several districts, including major outages in Kullu (281 DTRs), Mandi (191), and Kinnaur (10), where heavy rains, landslides, and shooting stones damaged high-tension lines. Water supply has also been hit, with 132 water supply schemes non-functional, the worst affected being Kullu (56 schemes) and Mandi (60 schemes). In some areas, temporary restoration has been carried out to meet urgent needs. The HPSDMA stated that, despite restoration work underway in coordination with the Public Works, Jal Shakti, and Electricity departments, heavy rains and recurring landslides are hindering the process. The authority has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas and to remain alert to weather warnings.
