Himachal Pradesh continues to battle widespread destruction caused by relentless monsoon rains, with the districts of Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba bearing the brunt of the damage. As of August 3, heavy downpours have led to major disruptions in essential services, blocked roads, and mounting casualties.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), at least 179 people have lost their lives since June 20—101 of them due to rain-related disasters like landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts. The remaining deaths occurred in road accidents attributed to poor weather conditions.

Infrastructure across the hill state has suffered massive damage. Officials report 296 blocked roads, 266 disrupted water supply schemes, and 134 power transformers knocked offline. The National Highway-505 in Lahaul-Spiti remains closed, cutting off critical connectivity in the region.

The SDMA’s latest landslide monitoring report flagged 22 high-risk areas across Mandi, Kangra, Shimla, and Solan districts. Two locations—Baldun in Kangra and Dakshi in Solan—were classified under “high” risk. Most other sites were marked under “moderate” risk, while one location in Mandi lacked a functioning monitoring system altogether.

The economic toll is steep. Estimated damage to public infrastructure exceeds ₹1,71,495 lakh, and more than 88,800 hectares of agricultural and horticultural land have been affected.

Despite 24/7 efforts by officials to restore normalcy, continued rainfall and unstable terrain are making rescue and relief operations challenging. Authorities have urged residents to avoid travel in vulnerable areas and follow official weather advisories.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted continued rainfall in the coming hours, including heavy showers in some parts of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla visited several affected areas in the Mandi district, including Thunag, Bakshyar, and Janjehli, where he met families and distributed relief materials. He acknowledged the extensive damage and praised the resilience of local residents.

“While complete compensation is not possible, the government is committed to providing all possible support,” said Governor Shukla, stressing the need for improved disaster response and resource planning.

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