Himachal floods: Search continues for missing persons as toll climbs to 75 in Himachal following monsoon havoc

Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 6 (ANI): Search teams continue to look for the missing persons in the flood-hit Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh as the toll reached to 75 in the hill state following monsoon havoc. The state has been experiencing rainfall, landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts.
Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan stated that the relief efforts have been hindered due to the "geography" of delivering aid to the flood-affected people.
Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Devgan said, "The main road of Thunag has been made motorable today. A few supply vehicles have also been placed there. Supplies have been sent with the help of mules also... The number of missing people is still 31. We have not found any missing persons. Special forces of around 250 State Disaster Relief Force-NDRF personnel are deployed. The whole administration is working 24*7."
The official noted the challenge of rushing aid to the affected people amid the monsoon and amid the prospects of more rainfall in the next months.
"The relief work is challenging because of the geography. We are trying to reach habitations... this is just the beginning of monsoons. It is about to rain for the next three months. For us, the extra challenge is that we have to conduct the relief, rehabilitation and restoration program during the monsoons. We have full support of the government, providing all resources..." he stated.
On Saturday, a team of SDRF conducted a field visit to a village in Panchayat Jarode to extend emergency assistance to residents in disaster-affected areas and surveyed the impacted regions and identified vulnerable individuals in urgent need of aid.
Relief materials, including basic need kits and medical kits, were distributed to the affected families as part of the immediate response effort.
The team also assessed the medical conditions of several villagers and provided essential medicines on-site to those requiring immediate care.
As part of the outreach, SDRF personnel interacted with local residents to gather information about unmet needs and additional support requirements. These findings have been shared with the District Administration to ensure timely and continued relief measures.
Meanwhile, a team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has arrived in Thunag, one of the worst-affected areas in the recent cloudburst that struck Mandi district. The personnel have initiated relief and rescue operations in multiple locations impacted by the disaster.
The ITBP team is working in coordination with the local administration and NDRF to clear debris, search for missing persons, and assist displaced families.
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Mandi district administration to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing in the disaster-affected areas of the district, ensuring that relief reaches all those in need.
The cumulative death toll in Himachal Pradesh's ongoing monsoon season has climbed to 75, combining 45 rain-related fatalities and 30 accidental deaths, including those from road mishaps, electrocution, and a gas explosion, according to official data released by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC).
The SEOC released data covering the period from June 20 to July 4, 2025, showed large-scale destruction across the hill state.
It painted a grim picture of destruction across the hill state. A total of 288 people have been injured, and extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property has pushed the estimated losses to Rs 541.09 crore. (ANI)