Monsoon havoc in Himachal: 110 dead so far, including 65 rain-related and 45 in road accidents

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 18 (ANI): The devastating monsoon season continues to take a heavy toll on Himachal Pradesh, with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) confirming that a total of 110 people have lost their lives across the state between June 20 and July 17, 2025.
Out of these fatalities, 65 deaths have been attributed to rain-related disasters such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning incidents, electrocution, and falls from steep slopes, among others. The data also reveals that 45 deaths occurred due to road accidents, adding to the human toll of the ongoing monsoon fury.
The SDMA's cumulative report indicates that apart from the tragic loss of lives, the state has suffered massive damage to infrastructure, livestock, and property.
A total of 1,22,038.37 lakh rupees worth of losses have been recorded, including significant damage to homes, agricultural land, roads, power supply infrastructure, and public services.
The district of Mandi remains one of the worst-hit, reporting 20 deaths, while Kangra recorded 19 fatalities. Other severely affected districts include Kullu (11 deaths) and Hamirpur (9 deaths). Rain-induced incidents varied from landslides and electrocution to falls and drowning, showing the widespread impact of the extreme weather conditions.
As per the SDMA's breakdown, Mandi alone recorded 14 rain-related deaths, the highest in the state, mostly due to flooding and landslides. In contrast, Kullu reported the highest number of road accident deaths (7) followed by Solan (7) and Chamba (6).
The state government has initiated relief and restoration measures, but continued rainfall and weather warnings pose ongoing challenges. The SEOC helpline (1070) remains operational 24x7 for emergency assistance and updates
Public infrastructure has suffered a major blow, with 250 roads currently blocked, 182 of them in the worst-hit Mandi district alone. Additionally, 81 power transformers are out of service, primarily in Mandi and Kullu. Water supply has also been disrupted, affecting 61 schemes, with the highest impact reported in Mandi (50) and Sirmaur (6). (ANI)