Monsoon wrecks Himachal: 92 lives claimed; Rs 751.78 crore worth infrastructure damaged
This data was released by the state emergency operation centre (SEOC) for the devastation caused between between June 20 and July 11.
Of the total deaths, 56 were caused by rain-related incidents such as cloudbursts, landslides, flash floods, electrocution, and drowning. The remaining 36 fatalities were linked to road accidents, many of them in Kullu, Chamba, and Solan districts, which have emerged as the worst-hit in terms of traffic-related casualties.
Mandi district has borne the brunt of the disaster. As per the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 15 people have died, 27 are missing, and five have been injured there in just 11 days.
The 16 MW Patikari hydroelectric project in the region has also sustained significant damage.
The rainfall has left a trail of destruction in its wake: 844 homes and 631 cowsheds damaged, along with 164 shops, 31 vehicles, and 14 bridges across the state. Mandi district alone reported the loss of over 854 livestock.
Road connectivity remains severely hit, with 247 roads, including crucial stretches of NH-003 (Mandi-Dharampur via Kotli) and NH-21 (Mandi-Kullu), still blocked.
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Power and water supply have also taken a hit, with 463 transformers and 781 water schemes disrupted.
Relief operations are in full swing. So far, 534 people have been shifted to 16 relief camps in Mandi, while 5,228 tarpaulins and 3,093 ration kits have been distributed to affected families. The Indian Air Force has airlifted 290 people, including 92 schoolchildren and two pregnant women, from cut-off areas.
Rescue efforts continue in high-risk zones like Thunag, Gohar, and Karsog with the help of the NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army, ITBP, and Home Guards.
Drone surveillance and airdropped medical aid are ongoing in remote villages such as Lambathach and Pakhrair.
The total loss from the monsoon havoc is pegged at Rs 751.78 crore. The toll includes the complete destruction of 368 homes, 295 shops, 85 huts and labour shelters, as well as damage to large swathes of farmland.
The state disaster management authority (SDMA) has urged people to remain cautious, especially in landslide-prone and low-lying areas, as more rainfall is expected in the coming days.
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