In the last 41 days since the monsoon broke out in Himachal Pradesh, nearly 200 rain-related deaths have been reported and 31 people are missing, the state disaster management office said. Of the 199 deaths, 57 were due to landslides and flash floods, while 142 people died due to road accidents during the monsoon season.
State disaster management authority says:
•199 people have died in monsoon due to various reasons.
•57 people have lost their lives due to landslides and flash floods.
•142 people have lost their lives due to road accidents or other reasons.
• 31 people are missing and 229 people are injured.
The state government’s principal secretary for disaster management said the loss of life is increasing day by day as the state recovers from rain and floods. He said estimates of damage to infrastructure due to the rains were increasing every day.
According to the data, the estimated loss for the same period on the infrastructure amounted to 6563.58 million crowns.
Rain-induced flash floods damaged 774 houses in the state while 7317 houses were partially damaged. 254 shops and 2337 cowsheds were damaged. According to the data, the state has witnessed 79 landslides and 53 flash floods in the state. According to the data, nearly 300 roads are closed in the state. 274 electricity distributions and 42 water mains are still interrupted.
The state disaster management office sounded the alarm on Thursday amid warnings of heavy rain issued by the India Meteorological Department over the next two days in the state.
Meanwhile, the tourism industry in Shimla is facing a devastating blow as the four-lane Kalka-Shimla National Highway 5 in Solan district was washed away in a landslide. Hopes were high for a tourism revival, but the disaster has raised concerns about the future of businesses in the state capital.
Mohinder Seth, president of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Stakeholders Association, said on Wednesday that hopes were high for tourist visits in September and October after recovery from the recent rains and floods. However, after the road was damaged, tourists halted their trips due to fears of flash floods and landslides.
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