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India.com
3 days ago
- Climate
- India.com
Death Toll Reaches 257 In Himachal Monsoon; Public Infrastructure Badly Damaged
SHIMLA: The monsoon havoc in Himachal Pradesh has claimed 257 lives since June 20, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HP SDMA). District-wise data shows that Mandi (26 deaths), Kangra (28), and Kullu (11) were among the worst-affected in rain-triggered disasters. Among the deaths, 133 were deaths reported in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, and electrocution, and another 124 fatalities in road accidents. The cumulative report released on Friday evening paints a grim picture of widespread destruction. The state has also recorded 331 people injured and 37 missing during the ongoing monsoon season. Landslides and flash floods alone have caused 16 deaths, while 27 people drowned in swollen rivers and nullahs. Other casualties were reported due to lightning, fire, snake bites, electrocution, and accidental falls. In addition to human loss, the state reported massive damage to property and infrastructure. Over 1,028 houses were fully damaged and another 2,157 partially damaged, besides 285 cow sheds and 699 shops and factories destroyed. Public property worth more than Rs 2,14,403 crore has been lost, including extensive damage to roads, power lines, water schemes, and government institutions. Animal losses have also been severe, with 1,625 cattle heads and over 25,700 poultry birds perishing in the rains. The HPSDMA noted that Mandi district alone accounted for the heaviest financial damage, exceeding Rs 1,180 crore, followed by Kangra and Kullu districts. Meanwhile, Mandi district reported the highest disruption, with 203 roads blocked and 458 transformers out of service, followed by Kullu where 79 roads remain closed, including NH-305 at Jhed (Khanag) due to a major landslide. Water supply schemes were also severely affected in Chamba (24), Kangra (41), and Mandi (44). In Kinnaur, six roads including NH-5 were blocked after heavy downpours, while Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti reported widespread outages due to flash floods and HT line faults. Authorities cautioned that intermittent rainfall in the coming days may worsen the situation, and appealed to people to avoid travel through vulnerable stretches. Officials warned that the situation remains critical with rains expected to continue, urging residents to avoid travel through vulnerable stretches and follow safety advisories.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Himachal Pradesh flash floods: Army rescues four stranded civilians in Kinnaur
SHIMLA: The Army rescued four people, including one injured, after flash floods hit parts of Himachal Pradesh, an official statement issued on Thursday said. The flash floods triggered by a cloudburst hit the higher reaches of Rishi Dogri valley in Kinnaur district on Wednesday evening and the bridge across the Sutlej river was inundated. The site was an active road construction zone under CPWD towards Gangthang Bralam, the Army said. On receiving an urgent request from the superintendent of police, Kinnaur, the Army immediately mobilised a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column. Braving darkness, fast currents and unstable terrain, the team reached the location and discovered four civilians stranded on the far bank of the river, the statement said. Working with precision under challenging conditions, the HADR team illuminated the general area to aid night rescue operations and guided the stranded civilians to higher and safer places. The team also evacuated the injured individual and admitted him to Regional Hospital, Reckong Peo, it said. The Army said new generation equipment, including the Logistics Drone High Altitude (LDHA) system, was used to ferry essential items, such as eatables and coconut water, across the floodwaters to help sustain the stranded individuals through the night. It said the rescued civilians were taken to the Army camp in Pooh. Plans are in place to bring the stranded individuals back to the home bank once the water recedes.
New Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Orange alert issued in Himachal Pradesh; roads blocked, Kinnar Kailash Yatra postponed
SHIMLA: Several roads were blocked and the ongoing Kinnar Kailash Yatra halted due to incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The pilgrimage to Kinnar Kailash, the winter abode of Lord Shiva located at an altitude of 19.850 feet in Kinnaur district, commenced on July 15 and was to continue till August 30. However, the rains have rendered the journey unsafe and hence the pilgrimage stands halted until the weather clears up and the route is declared safe, Kinnaur Police said. The Lahaul and Spiti administration has also temporarily suspended bike rides on the Manali-Leh highway until further orders. Torrential rains have led to the closure of around 250 roads in Himachal Pradesh. Accoring to the State Emergency Operation Centre, 181 roads were closed in disaster-hit Mandi, 26 in Sirmaur and 23 in Kullu district, while 61 water supply schemes and 81 power distribution transformers were affected as of Friday morning. The local meteorological office has issued an orange alert for 'heavy' to 'very heavy' rainfall in isolated areas of the state on July 21 and 23, officials said. A yellow alert has been issued for 'heavy' rains at isolated places till Sunday. Meanwhile, 'light' to 'moderate' rains lashed parts of the state on Thursday evening.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh monsoon fury: Death toll rises to 91; Mandi records highest rain-related fatalities
SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh has faced widespread devastation since the onset of the monsoon, with 91 fatalities reported between June 20 and July 10, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). In its latest Cumulative Loss Report, the SDMA stated that 55 deaths were directly caused by rain-related disasters such as landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods, drowning, and electrocution. The remaining 36 fatalities were linked to road accidents, many of which were triggered or worsened by the ongoing adverse weather conditions. Monsoon-triggered disasters have wreaked havoc across Himachal Pradesh, with a trail of destruction sweeping through the hill state. According to the SDMA, the state recorded the highest number of rain-related deaths in Mandi district (17), followed by Kangra (12) and Kullu (3), as per the Cumulative Loss Report released on July 10. Among the casualties, 15 people died in cloudburst incidents, nine drowned, and eight lost their lives in flash floods. Another ten fatalities were due to falls from trees or steep slopes, while four people died from electrocution and four others succumbed to unidentified causes. Additional deaths have been linked to lightning strikes, landslides, and fire incidents triggered by the intense rains. The same period also saw 36 road accident-related deaths, many of them indirectly caused by extreme weather. Solan, Kullu, and Chamba districts each reported six to seven such fatalities. The report also documented 131 injuries and the death of 364 animals, as well as widespread destruction of property and infrastructure. The estimated cumulative monetary loss stands at over Rs 74 crore. Damage included extensive harm to water supply systems, power lines, public infrastructure, and rural development works. At least 752 houses were completely destroyed, with another 880 suffering partial damage. Agriculture and horticulture sectors were also severely affected, alongside losses in Public Works, Power, and Rural Development departments. Restoration work is ongoing, with emergency response teams deployed in the most severely impacted areas. The SDMA has urged citizens to remain vigilant, as more rainfall is forecast in the coming days. Amid the ongoing crisis, chief minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited the affected villages of Baga, Syanj, and Panglyur in Mandi district's Nachan Assembly Constituency on Thursday. During his visit, the chief minister met with affected families, offered condolences to those who lost loved ones, and assured all possible support from the state government. CM Sukhu surveyed the damage firsthand and was visibly moved by the scale of the destruction. He paused at several points to speak with residents, listen to their concerns, and assess their immediate needs. In Baga village, two deaths were reported, while in Pangliyur, nine people were swept away by flash floods. So far, four bodies have been recovered, and search operations continue for the remaining five. Residents informed the chief minister that a massive hillside collapse caused extensive damage to homes and livestock. Assuring full support, CM Sukhu promised compensation for lost homes, cattle sheds, and livestock, and instructed the district administration to arrange proper accommodation and rehabilitation for the displaced families. The visit was also attended by Congress leaders Chet Ram, Chandershekhar Raddey, Vijay Pal Singh, APMC Chairman Sanjeev Gularia, and senior officials including deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan and SP Sakshi Verma.
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Himachal rains: Rescue operations on to trace 30 missing after cloudbursts, landslides in Mandi
SHIMLA: Search and rescue operations are underway with drones and sniffer dogs being used to trace 30 people who went missing after cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in the Thunag, Gohar and Karsog subdivisions of Mandi district last week, officials said on Monday. 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, officials said. So far, 1,538 ration kits have been distributed to the affected people and immediate relief of Rs 12.44 lakh has been provided. An additional Rs 5 lakh each is being sent to the Thunag and Janjheli areas, they added. About 225 houses, seven shops, 243 cattle sheds, 31 vehicles, 14 bridges and several roads were damaged in the disaster. A total of 215 cattle have perished, while 494 people have been rescued, as per the latest report. Till Sunday evening, 243 roads were closed in the state, of which 183 are in Mandi district alone.
