SDMA report reveals 109 deaths owing to monsoon and road accidents within 28 days in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA: The ongoing monsoon season has claimed 109 human lives across the state between June 20 and July 16, 2025. Of these, 64 deaths were directly linked to rain-related incidents, and 45 fatalities were reported in road accidents. This was stated in the latest cumulative report released by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) of Himachal Pradesh.

The data compiled by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reveal that the 64 monsoon-related deaths occurred owing to various causes, including landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, electrocution, snake bites, and falls from steep terrain. Mandi and Kangra districts reported the highest number of such fatalities, with 16 deaths each, followed by Hamirpur (8), Kullu (4), Chamba (3), and others.

In addition, road accidents during this period resulted in 45 more deaths, with the highest number of casualties reported in Kullu (7), Solan (7), and Chamba (6). Other districts like Kinnaur, Mandi, Shimla, and Kangra also reported multiple road accident-related fatalities.

Apart from the tragic loss of human lives, the SDMA report outlines extensive damage to public and private property. A total monetary loss of over Rs 883 crore has been estimated. Infrastructure damage includes over 43000 roads, power lines, water schemes, and public buildings being affected.

Livestock loss has also been severe, with 1,228 cattle and 21,500 poultry birds perishing during this period.

The Himachal government has been running round-the-clock monitoring and response through SEOC and district-level control rooms. Relief measures, including ex-gratia payments, are being processed for the affected families, the SDMA confirmed.

Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious as weather warnings for continued rainfall persist across vulnerable regions.

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that a central team would soon visit the state to assess the cloudburst and the damage caused by the flash floods.

CM Sukhu also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday and apprised him that the state had suffered damages amounting to around Rs 1000 crore, even as the monsoon had just begun. (ANI)