Monsoon fury claims 386 lives in Himachal, 218 rain-related, 168 in road accidents

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 13 (ANI): Due to the devastating monsoon this year, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Saturday confirmed that 386 people have lost their lives since June 20.
According to the SDMA report, out of these deaths, 218 deaths were caused by rain-related incidents, which included landslides, flash floods, house collapses, drowning, electrocution and snakebites, whereas 168 deaths occurred in road accidents, which surged amid treacherous hill conditions.
A cumulative damage report issued by the SDMA stated that the state has suffered an estimated ₹4,46,5 crore in total losses across sectors, which includes colossal damage to public infrastructure, agriculture, horticulture, power, education and health facilities.
The worst hit districts were Mandi, which reported 37 rain-related deaths and 24 accident fatalities, while Kullu recorded 31 disaster deaths and 13 road deaths, according to the report.
The SDMA report also highlighted that Chamba reported 21 rain-linked fatalities and 22 deaths due to accidents, whereas Kangra registered 33 monsoon-related deaths along with 21 accident casualties.
SDMA report also mentioned that over 2,000 houses were fully damaged and nearly 6,000 partially damaged, while thousands of cowsheds, shops, factories and labour sheds collapsed.
Around 27,955 poultry birds and 2,083 cattle perished during the season, added the report.
The report further mentioned that infrastructure losses include over ₹2.7 lakh crore to agriculture, ₹1.38 lakh crore to horticulture, ₹8,076 crore to the Public Works Department, ₹5,164 crore to Jal Shakti (water supply), and ₹2,743 crore to the power sector.
As a response to this situation, officials said that restoration work on roads, water supply and power lines is being carried out on a war footing, but frequent landslides and heavy rains are delaying progress.
"The cumulative damage is unprecedented. We are prioritising the restoration of essential services in the worst-hit districts," an SDMA spokesperson said.
The authority has also urged people to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel, and stay alert to weather advisories as the monsoon continues to remain active in parts of the state. (ANI)