Shimla, August 3 (H.S.): Monsoon fury continues in Himachal Pradesh as the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in many parts of the state for the next two days — August 4 and 5. For today, a yellow alert for heavy rain remains in effect for Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts.
Last night, intense rainfall was recorded in Bilaspur and Mandi districts. The highest rainfall was recorded in Bharari (Bilaspur) at 108 mm, followed by Murari Devi (Mandi) at 82 mm, Naina Devi at 74 mm, Melran at 56 mm, Brahmani at 45 mm, BBMB at 39 mm, and Una at 38 mm.
In the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, a flood in the Dared Nallah of Udaipur sub-division washed away the only bridge connecting Udaipur–Tindi–Pangi–Killar, cutting off road access entirely. In Chadi Panchayat of Chamba district, a landslide damaged the building of a health centre. According to Panchayat Deputy Pradhan Pavindra Kumar, the landslide has put nearly 40 families in the lower village area at risk.
As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, by Sunday morning, two national highways and 305 roads across the state were closed due to heavy rain and landslides. NH-505 from Gramphu to Batal is blocked near Chhatru in Lahaul-Spiti, and NH-305 is blocked near Zed in Kullu. Road closures include 156 in Mandi, 67 in Kullu, 41 in Chamba, and 27 in Kangra.
Rain has also affected electricity and water supply. A total of 284 power transformers are non-functional, with 178 in Kullu, 72 in Chamba, and 33 in Mandi. Several water supply schemes have also been impacted — 88 in Chamba, 60 in Kangra, and 58 in Mandi.
The ongoing monsoon has caused severe destruction since it began on June 20. A total of 179 people have lost their lives, 289 have been injured, and 36 are still missing. Mandi district has reported the highest fatalities at 37, followed by Kangra (29), Kullu (18), Chamba (17), Shimla (15), Solan (12), Hamirpur, Kinnaur, and Una (11 each), Bilaspur (8), Lahaul-Spiti (6), and Sirmaur (4).
So far, there have been 28 cloudburst incidents, 51 flash floods, and 45 landslides in the state. Mandi has seen the most — 16 cloudbursts, 12 landslides, and 11 flash floods.
Around 1,600 houses have been damaged due to the heavy rain, of which 450 have been completely destroyed. In Mandi alone, 1,077 houses have been damaged and 386 have collapsed. Additionally, 296 other structures and 1,445 cattle sheds have been affected. The state has also reported the deaths of 1,533 livestock and 21,520 poultry birds this monsoon.
So far, the total loss to the state is estimated at ₹1,692 crore, with the Public Works Department suffering the most at ₹865 crore, followed by ₹580 crore losses to the Jal Shakti Department.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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