Shimla, 25 July : After days of intense rainfall, the pace of the monsoon slowed across Himachal Pradesh on Friday, bringing clear skies and much-needed relief to residents. Sunshine across several regions allowed authorities to speed up relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit areas. However, the Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rains are likely to return soon.
Yellow Alert from 26 to 29 July
The Met Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in multiple districts from 26 to 29 July. On 26 July in particular, heavy rain is expected in parts of Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts. Rainy conditions are also likely on 30 and 31 July, though no alert has been issued for those days.
Recent Rainfall Records
On Thursday night, Jatton Barrage in Sirmaur recorded the highest rainfall at 54 mm. Other notable rainfall measurements include 41 mm in Paonta Sahib, 23 mm each in Kufri and Sundernagar, 19 mm in Pachhad, 18 mm in Dhaula Kuan, 14 mm in Pandoh, 13 mm in Shimla, and 9 mm in Solan.
Roads, Power, and Water Supply Disrupted
Despite some improvement in the weather, normal life has not fully returned in many areas. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, as of Friday morning, 235 roads, including one national highway, remain closed. Additionally, 56 electricity transformers and 139 drinking water schemes are still affected.
In Mandi district alone, 144 roads including the NH-70 Mandi-Kotli route are blocked, 49 transformers are out of service, and 65 water schemes are impacted. In Kullu, 58 roads remain closed. In Kangra’s Dharamshala and Nurpur sub-divisions, 59 water supply systems are down.
147 Dead Since June 20 Due to Rain-Related Incidents
Since the onset of active monsoon on 20 June, rain-triggered disasters have claimed 147 lives, left 229 people injured, and 34 people are still missing. Mandi district reported the highest casualties with 28 deaths and 27 missing persons, especially due to cloudbursts on the night of 30 June. Other fatalities include 22 in Kangra, 17 in Chamba, 15 in Kullu, 11 in Shimla, 10 each in Hamirpur, Solan, and Una, eight each in Kinnaur and Bilaspur, and four each in Lahaul-Spiti and Sirmaur.
Widespread Damage to Property and Livestock
The current monsoon season has also resulted in the deaths of 21,500 poultry birds and 1,335 animals. A total of 1,262 houses—both kutcha and pucca—have suffered damage, including 409 homes that collapsed entirely. In Mandi district alone, 974 houses were damaged, of which 374 were completely destroyed.
Monsoon Damage Estimated at ₹1,387 Crore
According to the latest government reports, Himachal Pradesh has incurred losses of nearly ₹1,387 crore due to monsoon-related destruction. The Public Works Department suffered the highest loss at ₹651 crore, followed by the Jal Shakti Department with ₹493 crore in damages.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
