Monsoon rains cause heavy casualties and damage in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Heavy monsoon rains have caused significant casualties and infrastructure damage across the northern Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

In Himachal Pradesh, the monsoon season has resulted in 267 deaths and 487 injuries between June 30 and September 4. The State Emergency Operations Centre reported that 159 of these fatalities occurred in road accidents. The destruction includes 35 concrete houses and 80 mud houses completely destroyed, along with damage to hundreds of other structures. Economic losses are estimated at Rs 1,237 crore. Currently, 92 roads are blocked due to landslides, and several power and water supply schemes have been disrupted.

In Uttarakhand, the monsoon has claimed at least 54 lives, with 44 deaths specifically attributed to rain-related incidents such as landslides and flash floods. Recent fatalities include victims in Almora, Dehradun, Nainital, and Uttarkashi. Infrastructure damage is widespread, with 172 roads, including two national highways, reported blocked across various districts such as Nainital, Chamoli, and Dehradun.