Himachal Pradesh Monsoon Tragedy: 71 Lives Lost, Rs 75,000 Crore Monetary Loss; Landslides And Devastation Grip The State

In Dehradun's Langha Jakhan village, a landslide led to the destruction of 15 houses, necessitating the relocation of families to relief camps.

Certain low-lying areas in parts of Punjab encountered flooding due to elevated water levels in the Sutlej and Beas rivers caused by relentless rain in the hilly regions. The National Disaster Response Force, along with the Army and the Border Security Force (BSF), has been deployed for rescue efforts in flood-affected regions.

In Uttarakhand, nearly 300 pilgrims were rescued on Wednesday after being stranded since Monday along the trek route to the Madmaheshwar temple. This situation arose due to the collapse of a bridge in the rain-affected Rudraprayag district.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted widespread rainfall in Telangana for the next three days – August 18, 19, and 20.

The incessant rain that triggered landslides in Himachal Pradesh claimed 71 lives in the last three days, leading to a monetary loss of ₹75,000 crore for the state in this year's monsoon. The chief minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, mentioned that it will take at least a year to rebuild the infrastructure washed away by the rain. He referred to the situation as a formidable challenge. On Tuesday, a fresh landslide hit Shimla, resulting in 2 casualties as 5 to 7 houses collapsed in Krishna Nagar.

With the death toll from rain-related incidents climbing to 71 in the popular hill destination, all educational institutions in Shimla will remain closed on Thursday due to road blockages caused by frequent landslides.

The state government has appealed to the Centre to declare a national calamity in Himachal Pradesh.

The rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has exceeded the season's average until August. In the 54 days of this year's monsoon, the state received 742mm of rainfall, surpassing the season's average of 730mm. The rainfall recorded in the state during July broke records for the month in the last five decades, resulting in the most devastating natural calamity in half a century.

The Chief Minister attributed the landslides to faulty structural design and haphazard construction carried out by external architects unfamiliar with scientific construction methods in hilly terrain. The Chief Minister stated that old multi-storied government buildings remained standing without facing any danger.