Himachal: Monsoon death toll stands at 366, state faces widespread destruction

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 7 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh, grappling with the relentless monsoon, continues to face significant disruptions to public utilities, with hundreds of roads, power transformers, and water schemes affected.
The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) reported a high number of disruptions as of 10:00 a.m. on September 7, 2025.
The cumulative death toll, since the start of the monsoon season, has reached 366, with fatalities from rain-related incidents and road accidents reported separately. Of the total deaths, 203 were due to rain-related incidents, while 163 were a result of road accidents.
According to the latest status report from the SEOC, a total of 866 roads were blocked across the state as of the morning of September 7, 2025. This includes three National Highways: NH-03, NH-05, and NH-305.
Kullu is the worst-hit district of the state in terms of roads blocked, followed by Mandi and Shimla.
The maximum number of road blockages was reported in the Kullu district, with 225 roads affected, followed by Mandi with 191 and Shimla with 154. The primary cause for these blockages is heavy rainfall.
The number of road blockages in other districts was reported as: Chamba (116), Sirmaur (45), Kangra (42), Una (33), Solan (22), Bilaspur (18), Lahaul & Spiti (11), Kinnaur (6) and Hamirpur (3).
Power supply has also been severely affected, with 1,572 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) out of order. The Kullu district was the worst-hit, with 873 disrupted DTRs, followed by Mandi with 259 disruptions and Lahaul & Spiti (L&S) with 142.
The report also indicated that 389 water supply schemes had been disrupted. The majority of these disruptions were concentrated in the Shimla district, where 183 schemes were affected. The next highest numbers were in Mandi (79) and Kullu (63).
The public is being continuously advised to remain alert, avoid travel to high-risk areas, and pay attention to weather advisories. (ANI)