The relentless fury of the monsoon has left Himachal Pradesh reeling, with at least 63 people confirmed dead and dozens more missing due to cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides that have ravaged the state since June 20. With a red alert in place for all districts till Monday, July 7, rescue and relief efforts continue on a war footing.
The government has reported property losses exceeding ₹400 crore, though officials believe the actual figure could be much higher. “We have recorded over ₹400 crore in losses so far… as entered in our system. But the actual damage is likely much higher,” NDTV quoted DC Rana, Special Secretary of the State Disaster Management Authority and the Revenue Department. Rana added, “Our focus now is on search, rescue, and restoration.”
Mandi district has emerged as the epicentre of the destruction, with 17 confirmed deaths and 40 people still unaccounted for. Other severely affected districts include Kangra (13 deaths), Chamba (6), and Shimla (5). Devastation has also been reported from Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Sirmour, Solan, and Una.
Roads Blocked, Bridges Washed Away as Relief Ops Intensify
The scale of infrastructure damage across Himachal Pradesh is staggering. Over 500 roads remain blocked, and 14 bridges have been washed away, severing critical connections to interior areas. Additionally, more than 500 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) have failed, plunging large areas into darkness. With drinking water and food supply chains disrupted, officials are warning of an impending humanitarian crisis.
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Hundreds of houses have collapsed or sustained heavy damage, while nearly 300 livestock — including 164 cattle — have perished.
Terrifying visuals circulating on social media show rivers swelling into raging torrents, swallowing homes and turning roads into rivers of mud. In one particularly chilling video from Sirmaur district, a landslide sends massive boulders tumbling down a hillside, as panicked bystanders scream for others to flee.
Another video from Shimla’s Dhalli suburb showed a massive landslide reducing sections of the hill to rubble, further underscoring the threat faced by the region’s mountainous terrain during monsoon surges.
Despite the chaos, rescue teams have been deployed across affected zones, including Mandi’s Thunag and Bagsayed regions, which fall within the Assembly constituency of former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur. Efforts to reopen blocked roads and restore power and communication lines are ongoing.
