Monsoon toll rises to 9 in HP as rain continues to batter state; 49 roads blocked, losses touch Rs 69.65 lakh
Shimla, July 3
The southwest monsoon continued to pound Himachal Pradesh for the second consecutive day under an Orange Alert, pushing the rain-related death toll to nine while disrupting normal life across the state.
The first spell of the monsoon has caused widespread devastation in Kinnaur district. The worst-affected areas include Lippa, Choling and Rispa, where landslides and debris have severely damaged highways, link roads and pedestrian routes.
Traffic has been disrupted at several locations, affecting connectivity to a number of villages and causing hardship for residents.
Teams from the district administration and the Public Works Department are engaged in restoring the damaged roads, while continued rainfall has kept the threat of fresh landslides high. Authorities have advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel and exercise extreme caution in vulnerable areas.
Nearly 50 roads remained blocked, electricity and water supply were affected in several districts, and the cumulative loss to public infrastructure has been estimated at Rs 69.65 lakh, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).
The latest disaster management report stated that nine people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since the onset of the monsoon. The fatalities include four deaths due to falls from trees or steep rocks, one each due to drowning and electrocution, and three under other causes.
Besides these, two more people have died in separate road accidents linked to the prevailing weather conditions. The state has also reported 11 injured persons during the current monsoon season.
Heavy rainfall triggered widespread disruption of public utilities. As of Thursday evening, 49 roads were blocked across the state, including 30 in Kullu, eight in Sirmaur, seven in Chamba, two each in Lahaul-Spiti and Una.
The Jahalma nullah road in Lahaul remained accessible only to 4×4 vehicles through an alternate route, while roads near the Punjab border in Una were closed due to rain damage.
The power distribution network also suffered damage, with 42 distribution transformers (DTRs) out of service. Sirmaur accounted for 27 disrupted transformers, followed by eight in Chamba, three each in Kullu and Mandi, and one in Lahaul-Spiti. A total of 27 drinking water supply schemes were also affected, with Chamba alone reporting all the disruptions.
According to the cumulative damage report, the monsoon has left one house partially damaged, seven shops or factories and two cowsheds damaged. Public property losses have been estimated at Rs 25.65 lakh, taking the overall cumulative loss to Rs 69.65 lakh. Kangra has reported the highest monetary loss at Rs 16 lakh, followed by Mandi (Rs 24.10 lakh), Shimla (Rs 8.30 lakh), Lahaul-Spiti (Rs 8 lakh), Kullu (Rs 7 lakh) and Chamba (Rs 6 lakh).
The India Meteorological Department has kept an Orange Alert in force over parts of Himachal for the past two days, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides and falling boulders in vulnerable areas. Authorities have advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in hilly and landslide-prone regions, until weather conditions improve.
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