Heavy Rains in Himachal Pradesh Kill 37, Cause ₹400 Crore Damage and Devastation

Heavy Rains in Himachal Pradesh: Heavy rains and extreme weather have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, with 37 people dead and damages of over ₹407 crore since June 20, officials said on Saturday. In the last two days alone, the state has witnessed 14 cloudbursts and three flash floods, causing damage to infrastructure, livestock, and homes. Mandi is the worst-affected district, where 13 people have died, 5 are injured, and 29 are missing.

IMD has issued a rain alert for the state till July 7.

Mandi has been the worst hit, particularly Thunag subdivision, where roads are blocked and essential services like electricity and water supply have been severely affected.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, DC Rana, Special Secretary of the State Disaster Management Authority and Revenue Department, said, "We have recorded over ₹400 crore in losses so far, as entered in our system. But the actual damage is likely to be much higher. Our primary focus at the moment is on search, rescue, and restoration."

In Mandi alone, 40 people are reported missing. Relief camps have been set up, and food packets were air-dropped by the Indian Air Force to affected areas. "A village in Mandi has been devastated," Rana confirmed. “Senior officials are stationed in the area, with engineers from the PWD, Electricity Board, and Jal Shakti Department overseeing restoration efforts.”

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"Our primary focus at the moment is on search, rescue, and restoration. Detailed damage assessment will take time," he added.

The Thunag subdivision of Mandi is the worst-affected area, where major restoration work is underway.

"Roads are blocked, electricity and water supply have been hit, and vehicle movement has been severely impacted. Senior officials are stationed there. PWD engineers are overseeing road restoration, while the Director of Operations of the Electricity Board and the Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti are also present in Mandi," Rana said.

"These events are a consequence of global warming and climate change. Himachal is not untouched by these impacts." Rana said.

Across the state, 250 roads are closed, over 500 DTRs are non-functional, and around 700 drinking water schemes are affected.

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In Shimla, life has come to a standstill due to the rain. School children are the most affected.

In Shimla, the continuous downpour has thrown daily life into disarray. Schools have been severely affected, with classrooms inundated and students expressing fear and discomfort. Tanuja Thakur, a student from Shimla, told ANI, "It's raining heavily. Water is entering our classrooms, our clothes, and our books are soaked. Our teachers are telling us it's better to stay at home."

She added, "Our school is surrounded by trees. There is always a fear that a tree could fall. Thankfully, we are safe for now."

Search and rescue operations are being carried out by a joint team of local administration, police, Home Guards, SDRF, and central forces, including NDRF. Authorities are on high alert and keeping a watch as the state is expecting more rain in the coming days.

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