23 Flash Floods, 19 Cloud Bursts Amid Heavy Downpour In Himachal Pradesh

NDTV

13 hours ago

Shimla:
The heavy downpour in Himachal Pradesh has wreaked havoc, with the state reporting 23 flash floods, followed by 19 cloud burst incidents and 16 landslides till today.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning for "Extremely Heavy Rain, Thunderstorm & Lightning, Squall" for July 6. For tomorrow, the IMD forecasts "Very Heavy Rain, Thunderstorm & Lightning, Squall".
The weather department has predicted heavy rains for July 8 and 9.
According to a report issued by the Himachal Pradesh government, at least 78 people have lost their lives in Himachal Pradesh since the onset of the monsoon on June 20.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), of these, 50 deaths were caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts, while 28 fatalities were reported in road accidents.
"The cumulative toll due to various monsoon-related disasters in Himachal Pradesh has reached 78 as of July 6," the State Disaster Management Authority stated.
The rain-induced tragedies include 14 deaths from flash floods, eight due to drowning, eight from electrocution and accidental falls, and smaller numbers in landslides, lightning strikes, and snake bites.
Mandi district reported the highest number of rain-related deaths at 17, followed by Kangra with 11. Other severely affected districts include Kullu (3 deaths), Chamba (3), and Shimla (3), the report further said.
The road accidents, which claimed 28 lives, were recorded across various districts, with Chamba reporting the highest at six, followed by Bilaspur, Kullu, and Kangra.
Beyond casualties, the state has also suffered widespread infrastructural and economic damage. According to SDMA data, 269 roads have been blocked, 285 power transformers have been affected, and 278 water supply schemes have been impacted. The total loss to public and private property has been estimated at over Rs 57 crore.
Monsoon-triggered incidents have also resulted in crop losses, damage to homes and cowsheds, and disruptions to health and education infrastructure.
Authorities have deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams across critical regions. Search and rescue operations are still underway, especially in parts of Mandi and Kullu, where missing persons have been reported.
The SDMA continues to monitor the situation closely, urging residents to remain alert as rainfall activity remains active across the state.
Mandi district has emerged as the worst-hit region, with the highest number of infrastructure damages reported. A total of 181 roads remain blocked in Mandi alone, while 278 water supply schemes have been rendered non-functional across the state. Key subdivisions in the districts of Seraj, Karsog, Thalout, and Dharampur have reported extensive damage to public utilities, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed ANI.
Agnihotri stated that the state had suffered a massive loss due to floods and heavy rainfall.
"Monsoon has just begun, and already Himachal is witnessing extensive damage. Several lives have been lost so far. The epicentre of the destruction is Mandi district," he said.
Agnihotri added that the state machinery has been fully mobilised to restore essential services such as water, electricity, and roads.
He added, "Large-scale restoration work is underway. Water supply schemes and roads are being repaired, and major electricity infrastructure has been damaged. In Siraj constituency alone, 20 transformers are missing, and power lines are down across several kilometres."
Himachal Deputy CM raised concerns over the unusual intensity of rainfall in the early days of the monsoon.
"In the initial phase itself, we've seen cloudbursts. In some areas, up to 10 cloudbursts occurred simultaneously. An alert remains in effect, and our top priority is to save lives. Every possible effort is being made," he added.
Despite some improvements, public utility services remain severely affected in Himachal Pradesh amid the ongoing monsoon season, with 243 roads still blocked, 241 electricity transformers disrupted, and 278 water supply schemes non-functional as of Sunday evening, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Himachal Pradesh.
"The state has witnessed substantial infrastructural disruptions due to incessant rainfall, especially in districts like Mandi, Kullu, and Kangra," the State Disaster Management Authority said in its evening bulletin on July 6.
The impact of the monsoon this year has been deadly. Between June 20 and July 6, a total of 78 people lost their lives, with 50 of these deaths directly attributed to rain-related disasters such as flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, and electrocutions. An additional 28 people died in road accidents.
Mandi district remains the worst affected, accounting for over 180 road blockages and 278 disrupted water supply schemes. Heavy rainfall was cited as the primary reason behind infrastructure failure in most of the severely hit subdivisions, such as Seraj, Thalout, and Karsog.
Other significant disruptions include: 36 road blockages in Kullu, primarily in Banjar and Nirmand. Twelve roads are blocked in Kangra, particularly in Palampur and Shahpur. 41 electricity transformers were disrupted in the Una district. Seventeen water supply schemes in Chamba are affected.
Officials from multiple departments are on the ground conducting restoration work while the SDMA continues to issue alerts in vulnerable areas.
The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, on Sunday, flagged off three trucks loaded with relief material from the Raj Bhavan in Shimla to the flood-affected Thunag area in Mandi district.
The relief consignment included 540 blankets, triple-layered tents, shoes, socks, buckets, candles, and matchboxes, with the Governor stating that more supplies will be sent if needed.
Speaking after the flag-off ceremony, the Governor told ANI, "I have not gone there personally yet as security officials advised me that conditions are still not safe. But I will visit later. For now, we have sent three vehicles with relief material, and we will continue to assist people in the affected areas as needed."
The Governor also raised serious concerns over the recurring natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, attributing the scale of damage to unchecked tree felling and illegal mining. Referring to his recent visit to the remote Dodra Kwar region.