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Monsoon mayhem: Himachal suffers losses worth ₹1,732 crore, highest in five years
PWD was hit the worst with its losses mounting to ₹949.62 crore as roads were damaged across the state while several bridges have also been washed away, said Sudesh Kumar Mokhta, director, SDMA
Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses to the tune of ₹1,732 crore this monsoon season since its onset on June 29 till August 27, which is ₹509 crore higher than the last year and worst in last five years.
In 2021, the monsoon losses in the hill state amounted to ₹1,151.72 crore.
Before this year, the 2018 monsoon season was the worst in terms of monetary losses when ₹1,578 crore were washed away in rain-related incidents.
The state suffered ₹1,202 crore losses in 2019 and ₹872 crore in 2020.
The public works department (PWD) was hit the worst with its losses mounting to ₹949.62 crore as roads were damaged across the state while several bridges have also been washed away, said Sudesh Kumar Mokhta, director of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
Heavy rains damaged infrastructure worth ₹710.23 crore of Jal Shakti department while the electricity department lost ₹5.72 crore. Other departments have suffered cumulative losses worth ₹35.68 crore.
He said 55 incidents of flash floods, 75 landslides and 12 incidents of cloudbursts were reported across the state which caused widespread damage to the public and private property besides claiming several precious lives.
Mokhta said 163 houses were fully damaged and 768 partially. As many as 768 cowsheds and 163 shops have also been damaged, he added.
Mandi, which is the worst-hit among the 12 districts, has reported losses worth ₹6.28 crore followed by ₹5.52 crore in Chamba and ₹4.53 crore in Kullu.
42% less casualties
As many as 276 deaths have been reported across the state this year which is 42% less than the last year when 476 people died in the monsoon. A total of 343 people had died in 2018 whereas the number in 2019 was 218. As many as 240 people died in 2020 monsoon season.
Maximum 47 deaths have been reported from Shimla, 46 from Mandi and 33 each from Chamba and Kullu.
Most of the causalities were due to road accidents. As many as 134 people died in 34 road accidents. Thirty people died due to drowning, 19 in landslides, five in flash floods and three due to cloudbursts. Twenty-one people have died due to snakebite. Nine people are still missing.
Rains on cards till September 1
The MeT department has forecast wet weather till September 1 with a yellow alert for heavy rains, thunderstorm and lightning on Monday.
The monsoon has remained weak over the region for last two days and is likely to intensify again, said Surender Paul, director of the Shimla MeT centre. He said heavy rains are likely to disrupt the essential services and commuters are advised to check weather updates and follow advisory issued by the departments concerned while travelling in the hills.
