Himachal Pradesh's monsoon season has brought destruction from day one. Heavy rain washed away a temporary bridge in Bharmour, in Chamba district, leaving around 25-30 people stranded. A rescue team was dispatched to the spot immediately.
Statewide impact, six lives lost on Wednesday
Rain on Wednesday cut off road links in several districts of Himachal and crippled the power supply. The same day, landslides and road accidents claimed a total of six lives. The rain continued into Thursday, worsening the situation further.
Bharmour-Chamba road buried under debris
Heavy rain on Thursday triggered a debris fall near Dinka Ghar on the Bharmour-Chamba road in Chamba district, shutting the route completely. Long queues of vehicles built up on both sides, leaving travellers stuck in the jam for hours.
35 roads and 127 transformers down
According to the State Disaster Management Centre, 35 roads across the state remained closed as of 6 pm on Wednesday, while 127 power distribution transformers, known as DTRs, had stopped working. Kullu district was the worst hit, with 18 roads closed there alone. Solan and Chamba districts each reported 12 closed roads. On the power front too, Kullu bore the brunt, accounting for 86 of the state's 127 non-functional transformers. Public Works Department teams are working round the clock to clear roads and restore access. On a positive note, no drinking water scheme in the state has been affected so far, and there have been no reports of water supply disruption from any district.
Lives lost in Kangra and Mandi
Four deaths have been directly linked to disaster incidents. In Kangra district, three people died in separate incidents involving electrocution, a lightning strike and a fall. In Mandi district, a woman died after being hit by a falling rock on a hillside. Besides these, one person each died in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts in rain-related road accidents. In all, six people have died so far in monsoon-related incidents.
Losses estimated at Rs 44.40 lakh, more rain forecast
The initial assessment puts the damage to public and private property, along with livestock losses, at Rs 44.40 lakh. Kangra district recorded the highest financial loss, estimated at around Rs 16 lakh. The state government, district administrations, disaster management agencies and various departments are on high alert. The weather department has forecast continued rain in several parts of the state over the next few days, prompting authorities to work on a war footing to restore road and power connectivity in the affected areas as quickly as possible.
