Heavy Rainfall In Himachal Pradesh Claims 157 Deaths And 259 Roads Being Blocked
Incessant monsoon rains and landslides have caused a huge problem in Himachal Pradesh as rains are particularly heavy in the state, and life is going out of hand with flash floods and landslides occurring in various parts of the state. A new report released by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) says 157 people have been killed and 259 roads remain closed since June 30 because of rain-related incidents.
68 people were killed in landslides and flash floods while 89 killed in road crashes during the period up to Aug. 9, the report said. Around 257 individuals have also been reported missing during the time.
The monsoon has also inflicted large scale damage on infrastructure. Around 900 properties, public works are affected, and estimated losses are around ₹886 crore.
Heavy rain has significantly affected the State’s road connectivity. Mandi has reported maximum of blocked roads (120), followed by Chamba (42), Kullu (40) and Shimla (30).
The Mandi-Kullu highway is one of the major roads that has been impacted, as landslides and falling rocks have made travel difficult. The authorities are striving to restore connectivity, but due to continued rainfall and new landslides, repairs are proving to be a challenge.
Power supplies have also been particularly badly damaged. More than 161 distribution transformers have been out of service for over a week. 77 of these transformers are in Mandi, 43 are in Shimla, and 40 are in Kullu.
Water supply has also been impacted, with 54 Water Supply Schemes (WSS) affected throughout the state. The most number of disruptions have been reported in Shimla, which has 33 disruptions, followed by Chamba with 16 and Hamirpur with 5.
The weather situation continues to be critical as the India Meteorological Department warned against heavy rain in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla and Sirmaur with an orange warning.
Moderate to heavy rains are also likely in Chamba, Kullu, Solan and Bilaspur.
The heavy rain has swelled up rivers and streams, especially in Kullu, ever since the rain began. Images from the area have revealed landslides that have spewed rocks down hillside slopes and the movement of water that has toppled cars and temporary bridges.
The neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayas, has also suffered from heavy damage due to weather effects. Recently, the monsoon has been causing massive damages in Chamoli’s Niti valley, when the metal bridge there was washed away by strong flood waters.
The state of Himachal Pradesh has a difficult task ahead as it is expected to receive more rain in the coming days, with the reconstruction of damaged roads, power and water infrastructure and also on preparing for further weather-related emergencies.