SHIMLA — Monsoon rains, landslides and related incidents have killed at least 157 people in Himachal Pradesh since June 30, while 257 others have been injured, according to the latest State Emergency Operations Centre report cited by local authorities.
The casualties were recorded through Aug. 9, with road accidents accounting for 89 deaths and landslides, drowning, snake bites and falls accounting for the remaining 68, the report said. Chamba district recorded the highest number of fatalities at 24, followed by Kullu and Kangra with 21 each, Shimla with 20, and Lahaul and Spiti with 18.
The rains have also damaged homes, public infrastructure and essential services across the Himalayan state. The emergency centre estimated damage to about 900 properties and public works at roughly 8.86 billion rupees ($106 million).
Road connectivity has been particularly affected. The report said 259 roads were inoperable because of rain and landslides, including 120 in Mandi, 42 in Chamba, 40 in Kullu and 30 in Shimla.
Power supplies have also been disrupted, with 63 distribution transformer regions out of service in Mandi and three in other districts. Water-supply schemes have been affected as well, with the largest number of reported disruptions in Shimla, followed by Hamirpur and Bilaspur.
The India Meteorological Department has kept several districts under heightened rainfall warnings as the monsoon remains active. The continuing rainfall has increased the risk of further landslides and flash flooding in vulnerable mountain areas.
The disaster comes as India's federal government has acknowledged growing risks from extreme rainfall in the Himalayan region. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that climate change was making extreme rainfall events more frequent in the Himalayan region, while also pointing to human-related factors as contributing to disaster risks.
Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions and restore damaged roads and essential services. The latest state figures cover losses recorded through Aug. 9, while rainfall and related disruptions remain ongoing.
