HP: Rain havoc leaves 311 road blocked; 221 water supply schemes disrupted

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 24 (ANI): Relentless monsoon rains continue to cripple public infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh, with 311 roads blocked, 221 water supply schemes disrupted, and 65 power transformers damaged across the state in the last 24 hours, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
As per the morning report compiled at 10:00 AM by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) on Thursday, National Highway-70 remained closed in the Mandi district due to heavy rain and landslides.
Kullu, Mandi, and Chamba districts are among the worst affected in terms of road closures, with Mandi alone reporting 184 blocked roads.
Meanwhile, the total death toll due to monsoon-related incidents has reached 137. The SDMA clarified that this includes 77 rain-related deaths, such as landslides, house collapses, and flash floods, while 60 fatalities have occurred due to road accidents aggravated by the weather conditions.
Restoration work is underway across affected districts. Despite improved conditions in some areas, fresh disruptions continue to be reported, highlighting the fragility of infrastructure under extreme weather stress.
Authorities have urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable regions and adhere to advisories issued by local administrations. The situation remains under close monitoring by disaster response teams.
Earlier, on July 23, Congress MLA Anuradha Rana appealed to the state government to provide a special flood relief package for the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, stating that the current compensation for natural disasters was inadequate.
Rana, who represents Lahaul-Spiti in the state Assembly, also urged tourists to strictly follow weather and administrative advisories before travelling to remote parts of the district.
Speaking to ANI in Shimla, she stated that she would meet the Chief Minister to request an increase in compensation for the affected residents.
"Our tribal district has received unusually low compensation in past calamities. The existing ex-gratia amounts are insufficient and not justifiable. I am meeting the Chief Minister today and will request him to enhance the compensation norms so that affected people get adequate relief," she said. (ANI)