Torrential June rains bring chaos to Himachal Pradesh: Fatalities and extensive destruction
Shimla, June 29
According to the Met Office, the state of Himachal Pradesh has experienced 29 percent excessive rainfall from June 1 to 28. Among the districts, Solan recorded 99 percent excess rain, followed by Mandi with 88 percent, Kangra with 64 percent, Sirmaur with 57 percent, Bilaspur with 54 percent, Shimla with 50 percent, Kullu with 27 percent, and Chamba with 25 percent.
Also read:Monsoon may hit Kerala on June 7, Below-normal rains expected in HP & NW Himalayas
Meanwhile, during the first five days of the South West monsoon, heavy rain wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the loss of 19 lives, with 34 people injured. The state administration reported a revenue loss of Rs 219 Crore due to the monsoon rains, as stated in a media communiqué.
Shimla reported seven deaths, Hamirpur reported three, Chamba and Solan reported two each, while Kangra, Kullu, and Una districts reported one death each. Of the fatalities, nine were caused by rain-related vehicle accidents, five by drowning, three from falling from trees and steep rocks, and one from a landslide.
The state government stated that private property worth Rs 16 Crore and public property worth Rs 216 Crore (including Rs 100.97 Crore from the IPH Department, Rs 90.50 Crore from the PWD Department, and Rs 26.22 Crore from the Horticulture Department) were lost due to the monsoon rain. Additionally, five houses were completely damaged, and 36 houses were partially damaged. One shop, 20 cowsheds, and 352 livestock also perished.
The state experienced nine landslides, one cloud burst, and six flash flood incidents. The heavy rainfall damaged and washed away approximately 1318 drinking water supply schemes, resulting in a loss of about Rs 74.23 Crore. Many areas, including the capital town of Shimla, faced water supply disruptions due to dry taps caused by the heavy rainfall and flash floods in the past five days. About 286 irrigation schemes suffered damage, leading to a loss of Rs 21.20 Crore for the state Jal-shakti Vibhag. Ten water supply schemes incurred a monetary loss of Rs 1.60 Crore due to the floods. Approximately 23 sewerage schemes were also affected, resulting in a loss of Rs 3.92 Crore. In total, 1635 government schemes were affected, causing a loss of Rs 100 Crore. The state government claimed that it had restored 1249 water supply schemes so far.
The heavy rainfall disrupted 127 roads during the rainy season, including 61 roads in the Mandi zone, 39 in Shimla, 17 in Kangra, and ten in Hamirpur zone. The rainfall caused a revenue loss of Rs 3.04 Crore to the National Highway and Rs 90.80 Crore to the state public works department. As per the assessment, the horticulture crops spread across 1475 hectares incurred a loss of Rs 26.22 Crore due to the natural calamity caused by heavy monsoon rain and windstorm. This affected 1909 farmers who cultivate mangoes, lychees, citrus fruits, apples, and stones affected by the flash floods, heavy monsoon rain, and windstorms.
On June 24 and 25, heavy rain caused damage to one house, two cowsheds, and resulted in three cattle deaths. A cloud burst near Kheri village in Sujanpur, Hamirpur, damaged a house, the wall of the Panchayat Ghar, and the school boundary, while electricity supply was also affected in the area. A flash flood hit Baggi khad of Gram Panchayat Shegli on the same day, damaging a primary school, a house, and two cowsheds, and resulting in the death of three cattle. Several tourists were stranded in the flash flood and had to stay in Dhabas, hotels, and homestays until local roads were restored. A flash flood also occurred in Khoti Nallla, which temporarily blocked NH-5 but was later restored.
On June 24, a flash flood hit Mohal khud in Kullu district, damaging eight vehicles, including five cars and three tractors. A flash flood was also reported in Pejjar Khud of Mohal Lippa Khas in Kinnaur district. Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti districts, which received very little monsoon rainfall, were also affected by heavy rainfall. Five local irrigation schemes (Khual) were washed away, resulting in a loss of Rs 15 lakh for farmers and the government. In Lahaul Spiti district, roads were disrupted at several places near Dared and Magdran Nullah in the Udaipur Subdivision.
Rain also caused disruptions on Jot Road near Chowari in Chamba, leaving 40 vehicles stranded. In Kangra district, a landslide occurred at Mahal Phera, Mauja Lang, damaging the wall of a petrol pump crate. In an incident of shooting stones reported at Deyod in Mandi town, a PWD worker named DumunRam lost his life. Landslides were reported on NH-5 between Mandi and Kullu at seven and four miles, where the road could not be restored. A house was also damaged in Village Sharog under Theog subdivision in Shimla district due to a landslide.
On June 24, a total of nine landslides occurred, resulting in one death and the complete destruction of a house. In Shimla town, a landslide hit the British Resort signboard near Kumar House, causing two Deodar trees to fall on a building and posing a danger to two other buildings. Landslides also occurred in Dharmpur, where the front wall of a mosque collapsed, as well as in Kotbeja and Sihridi Panchayat in Kasauli subdivision, where the front walls of two houses caved in.
On Wednesday, a car carrying five youths fell into a 300-foot deep gorge near Shulan curve on the Kaleda-Majhvati road under the Rampur subdivision. Four people died on the spot, and one was referred to Khernri Hospital. The victims, identified as Avinash, Suman, and Himani (all 22 years old), and Sandeep (40), were returning home after attending a marriage party. A woman was hospitalized at Rampur Civil Hospital.
In another incident, 20 sheep and 40 goats died due to lightning in Shunkchang Top of Kullu Manikarna Valley, injuring one person. Teams from the Animal Husbandry Department and Revenue Department were sent to the spot to gather information, as informed by Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department Vishal Sharma
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