Himachal Pradesh Monsoon Fury: 157 Dead, Damage Crosses ₹886 Crore As Roads, Power And Water Systems Take A Hit

Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under relentless monsoon rains, with 157 people killed and cumulative losses crossing ₹886 crore since June 30. Landslides, flash floods and road accidents have disrupted life across the hill state, while restoration teams work to reopen roads and repair damaged infrastructure.

157 Killed, 257 Injured

According to the latest cumulative damage assessment released by the Himachal Pradesh government, 157 people died and 257 were injured between June 30 and August 9, while two people remain missing.

Of the fatalities, 68 were attributed to natural incidents, including landslides, drowning, snake bites and falls. Another 89 people died in road accidents.

Chamba recorded the highest number of deaths at 24, followed by Kangra and Kullu with 21 each. Shimla reported 20 fatalities, while Lahaul and Spiti recorded 18.

Hundreds Of Roads Hit By Landslides

Road connectivity has taken a major hit, with the latest updates reporting 259 roads blocked across Himachal Pradesh as landslides and heavy rain continue to disrupt transport. Mandi has emerged as the worst-affected district, followed by Chamba, Kullu and Shimla.

Road-clearing crews and emergency teams have been deployed across affected districts, although fresh landslides and continuing rainfall are slowing restoration work.

Power And Water Supply Disrupted

The monsoon has also damaged essential utilities. The state has reported 66 Distribution Transformer Regions out of service, with Mandi accounting for 63 of them.

Water supply has been disrupted across 19 schemes. Shimla reported damage to 12 schemes, followed by Hamirpur with five and Bilaspur with two.

Over 880 Private Structures Damaged

More than 880 houses, shops and other private structures have been damaged in the rains.

The damage includes 64 completely destroyed houses and 255 partially damaged houses. Authorities have also reported damage to shops, labour sheds, cattle sheds and other structures.

Kangra has recorded the highest number of completely destroyed houses, including 17 pucca and 20 kaccha houses.

Public Infrastructure Bears The Brunt

The Public Works Department has suffered the largest share of infrastructure losses, estimated at ₹662.79 crore, while the Jal Shakti Vibhag has reported damage worth around ₹203.90 crore.

The power sector has suffered losses of about ₹5.31 crore, while damage to the education sector has been estimated at ₹2.14 crore. Agriculture and horticulture have also suffered losses.

Overall, the state's cumulative monsoon damage stood at ₹88,637.55 lakh, or more than ₹886 crore, as of August 9.

Rescue And Restoration Operations Continue

The continuing rain has kept authorities on alert, with teams working to clear blocked roads, restore electricity and repair damaged water supply systems.

With further rainfall forecast in parts of the state, officials are continuing to monitor vulnerable areas and maintain emergency response measures.