Himachal: Monsoon toll rises to 380, including 215 in rain-related mishaps

SHIMLA:  As many as 380 lives have been lost since the onset of monsoon (June 20) here in Himachal Pradesh, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said on Friday.

Of these, 215 people died in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, and house collapses, while 165 lost their lives in road accidents on rain-battered highways and mountain roads.

According to the cumulative damage assessment released by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the state has also recorded 447 people injured and 1,520 houses completely damaged, with another 40 shops, 28,958 livestock, and 289 poultry birds lost. A staggering 5,762 houses were partially damaged, while agriculture and horticulture losses have also mounted.

Mandi district reported the highest casualties with 37 rain-related deaths, followed by Kullu (31), Kangra (33), Chamba (21), and Shimla (22).
Kinnaur alone recorded 14 deaths, mostly due to landslides and house collapses.

Road accidents were most severe in Chamba (22 deaths), Mandi (24), Shimla (18), Kangra (19), and Solan (19).

The maximum infrastructural hit was borne by Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu, where heavy rains triggered widespread landslides and flash floods, sweeping away homes, roads, bridges, and disrupting power and water supply lines.

“Continuous rainfall has worsened ground conditions, leading to frequent landslides, flash floods, and infrastructure collapses. Restoration work is underway in all districts, but the scale of destruction has been unprecedented,” the SDMA said in its statement.

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more rain in the coming days, authorities have advised residents and travellers to remain cautious, particularly in landslide-prone and riverbank areas. (ANI)