Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): Pre-monsoon rains and adverse weather conditions have caused widespread destruction across Himachal Pradesh, disrupting critical infrastructure and claiming 128 lives during the March 1 to June 30 period.
According to the latest report released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) on Wednesday, the cumulative financial loss has reached Rs 2,984.27 lakh (nearly Rs 29.84 crore).
The latest weather spell has left 44 roads blocked across the state, severely affecting transportation. Mandi district is the worst affected, accounting for 28 road closures, followed by Shimla with 17 blocked roads, according to the Public Works Department (PWD).
Power infrastructure has also suffered extensive damage. A total of 254 Distribution Transformer Regulators (DTRs) remain out of service, disrupting electricity supply in several areas. Mandi alone accounts for 198 affected DTRs, while Sirmaur has reported 44 transformer failures. However, water supply infrastructure has remained largely unaffected, with no disruption to drinking water schemes reported anywhere in the state.
The Disaster Management Cell of the Revenue Department reported that 128 people lost their lives in weather-related incidents during the four-month pre-monsoon season.
Among the leading causes of fatalities, falls from trees and steep rocks claimed 75 lives, making them the single biggest cause of disaster-related deaths, followed by 30 drowning incidents.
District-wise, Shimla recorded the highest number of disaster-related fatalities with 33 deaths, followed by Chamba with 23, while Lahaul and Spiti reported no disaster-related deaths during the period.
Apart from natural disasters, road accidents claimed another 270 lives across Himachal Pradesh during the same period. Shimla recorded the highest number of road accident fatalities with 43 deaths, closely followed by Chamba with 41.
The pre-monsoon weather also caused extensive damage to residential property. Official figures show that 354 houses were completely destroyed, while 1,592 houses suffered partial damage.
In terms of financial losses, Shimla emerged as the worst-affected district, reporting damages worth Rs 732.83 lakh, followed by Solan with Rs 464 lakh and Kullu with Rs 426 lakh.
Authorities said restoration work is in progress, with teams of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the State Electricity Board engaged in clearing road blockages, removing debris and restoring electricity supply in the affected areas. Officials have advised residents to remain cautious as the southwest monsoon continues to advance across Himachal Pradesh, raising the risk of further rain-related incidents in the coming days. (ANI)
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