Shruti Suman
As of Thursday, the death toll resulting from monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh has risen to 74. Among the fatalities, one more body was recovered from the debris of a Shiva temple in Shimla, while two additional casualties were reported in Chamba. Notably, there were 21 fatalities attributed to three major landslides in Shimla, with one occurring at the Shiva temple in Summer Hill.
Over a span of 55 days since the start of the monsoon season, the state has experienced a total of 113 landslides. These landslides have caused significant financial losses, amounting to ₹2,491 crore for the Public Works Department (PWD) and ₹1,000 crore for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In Summer Hill, part of the railway tracks has been swept away, leaving a section of the tracks suspended in the air.
Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, acknowledged the immense challenge of reconstructing the damaged infrastructure resulting from the recent landslides, likening it to a monumental task.
Experts point to the frequent landslides being a consequence of ill-planned construction practices in the ecologically sensitive Himalayan region, along with the decline in forest cover and the presence of structures near water bodies that obstruct the natural flow of water.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the forecast predicts moderate rainfall with thunder in certain areas, along with spells of heavy rainfall in isolated places such as Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Chamba, and nearby regions. The state experienced heavy rains for three consecutive days, beginning on Sunday, and the intensity subsided after Tuesday, with only light showers occurring in some areas on Thursday.
Since the monsoon began on June 24, at least 217 people have lost their lives due to rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh.
The devastating impact of the heavy rainfall has not only resulted in the destruction of infrastructure but has also led to the displacement of entire families. For instance, a family spanning three generations perished in a landslide at a Shimla temple. The tragedy unfolded when a Shiv temple collapsed, claiming the lives of seven family members, including three children.
One family member, Vinod, who lost his brother and other family members, expressed his desire for the bodies to be recovered for proper last rites before his time comes. The emotional toll is compounded by the widespread loss of livelihoods in the rain-battered state. The estimated ₹10,000 crore in damages across Himachal Pradesh fails to capture the full extent of the disaster’s impact on individuals and businesses.
The backbone of the state’s economy, namely tourism and the apple trade, has been severely affected. Taxi drivers, who typically earned ₹2,000 per day, now struggle to make as little as ₹200. Hotels and guest houses, which usually boasted occupancy rates of 50-60%, have seen this plummet to just 5%.
