Shimla: Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under the impact of this year’s monsoon, with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) reporting 312 deaths since June 20. Of these, 160 lives were lost in weather-related incidents, including landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods, drowning, and electrocution, while 152 fatalities were recorded in road accidents triggered by rain-hit conditions.
The state’s economic losses have reached a staggering Rs 2,75,354.81 crore, reflecting widespread destruction of infrastructure, agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and private property. The natural calamity has also resulted in the death of 1,854 cattle and more than 25,700 poultry birds, further crippling rural livelihoods.
District-wise data paints a grim picture: Kangra reported the highest rain-related deaths at 30, followed by Mandi (29), Chamba and Kinnaur (14 each), and Kullu (13). Road accident fatalities were also severe, with 22 deaths each in Chamba and Mandi, 19 in Kangra, and 15 in Shimla.
The Public Works Department (PWD) alone reported losses exceeding Rs 1.53 lakh crore, while the Jal Shakti Department accounted for Rs 94,772.97 crore in damages to irrigation and water supply projects. The power sector’s losses have crossed Rs 13,946 crore, and other critical sectors such as health, education, fisheries, and rural development have also been hit hard.
On the housing front, at least 338 pucca houses and 438 kachha houses have been destroyed, while over 3,367 pucca houses were partially damaged. Several shops, cowsheds, and farm structures have also been reduced to rubble, alongside severe damage to agricultural fields.
Authorities said that restoring connectivity, electricity, and clean drinking water remains the top priority as relief and rehabilitation efforts continue across affected regions. Officials cautioned that with vulnerable districts still facing heavy rainfall, both the casualty figures and economic damage could rise further in the coming weeks.
