Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 16 (HBTV): Himachal Pradesh has recorded 257 deaths since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, with 133 people losing their lives in rain-related incidents and 124 in road accidents, the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said on Friday.

The HPSDMA stated that rain-triggered disasters, including landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, house collapses, drowning cases and electrocution, have caused widespread loss of life and property. Mandi district reported the highest number of rain-related deaths at 26, followed by Kangra (28), Chamba (10) and Kullu (11). Fatalities were also reported from Bilaspur, Kinnaur, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Lahaul-Spiti, Hamirpur and Una.

Road accidents have been another major cause of fatalities this season, with Kangra (12), Kinnaur (12), Mandi (21), Shimla (15) and Chamba (20) among the worst-affected districts. HPSDMA officials attributed many of these accidents to slippery roads, poor visibility and vehicles skidding off rain-soaked mountain roads.

The cumulative damage to property has been estimated at over INR 2,14,403 lakh, with public infrastructure such as roads, power lines and water supply schemes severely affected. Thousands of houses have been fully or partially damaged, while standing crops worth over INR 1,39,46 lakh have been destroyed.

Authorities have urged residents and travellers to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas and heed weather advisories as more heavy rain is expected in the coming days.

Earlier in the day, the State Disaster Management Authority issued a morning public utility report detailing widespread disruptions caused by heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. The report, released at 10:00 am, confirmed significant impacts on essential services across the state.

According to the report, a total of 455 roads are blocked, including three national highways (NH-305, NH-05 and NH-707). The most affected districts in terms of road blockages are Kullu with 73 roads, followed by Mandi with 58 and Shimla with 58. In Kullu, a landslide at Jhed (Khanag) has blocked NH-305. Other districts, including Chamba and Kangra, also reported multiple road closures due to heavy rain.

Power supply has been severely impacted, with 681 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) disrupted. Kullu and Shimla are the most affected, with 145 and 63 disrupted DTRs respectively. In Kullu, the disruptions were caused by a flash flood, faulty lines and fallen trees.

Furthermore, 182 water supply schemes have been disrupted across the state. Mandi district was particularly hard hit, with 58 schemes affected, while Kangra and Shimla reported 41 schemes each. The report attributed the disruptions to heavy rain.

(ANI)