Deluge of despair: Himachal’s monsoon toll crosses 320; losses over Rs 3,000 cr

Himachal Pradesh continues to reel under the impact of a relentless monsoon, which has claimed over 320 lives between 20 June and 30 August, while 40 people remain missing, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).

The state has suffered losses worth Rs 3,042 crore, largely due to 91 flash floods, 45 cloudbursts, and 93 major landslides. These calamities have caused widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, agricultural land, and public utilities.

Relief and restoration operations are underway, but the situation remains precarious. Hundreds of roads are still blocked, leaving critical connectivity crippled. Power and water supply schemes across several districts have also been hit hard, while recurring landslides and persistent rainfall continue to obstruct recovery efforts.

Fresh disruptions have intensified the crisis. On 30 August, a landslide struck the Chandigarh–Manali highway, causing severe traffic disruptions. The route was cleared briefly before another landslide at Banala near Panarsa in Mandi district blocked it again. In Kullu, the swollen Beas river washed away a 100-metre stretch of road near Raison, while in Chamba, seven houses were destroyed in Bharmour.

The ongoing Manimahesh Yatra has been suspended after floods stranded nearly 3,000 pilgrims. Rescue operations include airlifts and urgent restoration of utilities, with over 1,200 transformers and 416 water schemes reported damaged. In a tragic incident, an ambulance-bound woman died after being stuck on a blocked road.

Rainfall has been far above seasonal averages in several districts. Between 20 and 27 August, Chamba recorded 396 per cent excess rainfall and Kullu 334 per cent, exacerbating floods and landslides across the region.

With agency inputs