Himachal Monsoon death toll climbs to 355

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 4 (ANI): The ongoing monsoon havoc in Himachal Pradesh has claimed 355 lives since June, including 194 in rain-related incidents such as landslides and flash floods, and 161 in road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
As of Thursday evening, 1,208 roads, including four national highways, remained blocked, 1,885 distribution transformers were disrupted, and 824 water supply schemes were hit across the state due to heavy rain-triggered damage, the SDMA's daily public utility report said.
"Field teams are working around the clock to restore connectivity, electricity, and drinking water supply in affected areas. However, recurring landslides and fresh slips are hampering operations in several districts," an SDMA spokesperson said.
The highest road disruptions were reported from Mandi (287), Kullu (230), and Shimla (211) districts, with multiple stretches of NH-03, NH-05, NH-505, and NH-305 blocked. In the power sector, Kullu (999 transformers) and Shimla (259 transformers) suffered the worst outages. Water supply was badly affected in Shimla (348 schemes), Mandi (78 schemes), and Kullu (63 schemes).
Officials said monsoon-triggered disasters have so far caused losses exceeding Rs 3,787 crores to public and private property this season, with road infrastructure, housing, and hydropower projects among the worst-hit sectors.
The SDMA has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable hilly stretches and to stay alert to weather advisories issued by the IMD. Restoration works, it said, may take longer in high-altitude and landslide-prone regions. (ANI)