Himachal Pradesh Floods Kill 78, Cause ₹572 Crore Damage as Rescue Efforts Continue

According to officials, nearly 250 personnel from the National and State Disaster Response Forces, the Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the Home Guards have been deployed in search and rescue operations, reported Mint. The death toll reached 78 as of July 6, reported NDTV.

This comes after cloudbursts and flash floods in the Thunag, Karsog, and Gohar areas of Mandi district last week damaged around 225 houses, 14 bridges and roads.

Sniffer dogs and drones are also being used to locate 30 missing people. The administration, along with locals, has also joined the rescue work. Officials said 20 teams are collecting data and providing rations and medical kits in inaccessible places.

They added that 1,538 ration kits have been given to those impacted so far, and immediate alleviation aid totalling ₹12.44 lakh has been provided. Additionally, ₹5 lakh each is being dispatched to the Thunag and Janjheli areas.

Jal Shakti Department Chief Engineer Anju Sharma visited Mandi region that is facing severe water crisis after the recent cloudbursts and floods that washed away machinery, water pipes and transformers used to extract and supply clean water.

Jal Shakti Department Chief Engineer Anju Sharma visited the area to assess the damage. “All 81 panchayats in this constituency have been affected. Our people are tracing the sources… We collected all the staff as it is very difficult to reach from one place to another.”

"The heavy monsoon showers have triggered landslides, waterlogging, and infrastructure damage, disrupting road connectivity and essential services across multiple districts," the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) told ANI. "Efforts are underway to restore services swiftly, and field teams are on alert in highly affected regions such as Mandi and Kullu," it added.

Disaster Causes Damage

According to the latest report, the disaster has damaged seven shops, 243 cattle sheds, and 31 vehicles. A total of 215 cattle have died, while 494 people have been rescued.

183 roads in the Mandi district were shut out of 243 roads in Himachal until 6 July evening. Moreover, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) believes 241 transformers and 278 water supply schemes were impacted in Himachal Pradesh, officials mentioned.

The State Emergency Operation Centre has confirmed an estimated loss of ₹572.69 crore due to recent events in Himachal Pradesh, according to Curly Tales.