Monsoon havoc continues in Himachal: Over 300 people dead; roads, power transformers, water schemes disrupted

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 25 (ANI): Heavy monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh have caused large-scale damage to infrastructure and disrupted essential services across the State, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.
Himachal Pradesh SDMA stated that 625 roads, including three national highways (NH-03, NH-154, NH-305), remain blocked. Power supply has been hit with 1,533 electricity distribution transformers out of service, while 168 water supply schemes stand disrupted as of Monday morning.
The cumulative monsoon death toll in the state since June 20 has climbed to 303, the SDMA said. Of these, 155 deaths were rain-related, caused by landslides, flash floods, and other weather-triggered incidents, while 148 fatalities occurred in road accidents during the rainy season.
The worst-hit districts in terms of road closures include Mandi (319 roads), Kullu (101), and Chamba (82). National highways NH-03 and NH-154 were reported closed in Mandi, while NH-305 remained blocked in Kullu.
Power outages have been most severe in the Solan district, which reported 446 transformer disruptions, followed by Chamba (409) and Kullu (160). Water supply disruptions were also significant in Chamba and Mandi (36 schemes each) and Shimla (32 schemes).
Officials said that heavy rainfall, compounded by ongoing landslides and debris flow, continues to hamper restoration work. Many interior roads and remote villages remain cut off, forcing authorities to press into service both state machinery and local resources for clearance and relief operations.
The SDMA has urged residents, especially in vulnerable hilly areas, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary travel, as intermittent rain is forecast to continue in several districts. (ANI)