Over the past week, heavy rains have triggered devastating flash floods across Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the loss of 17 lives and causing infrastructural damage estimated at over ₹300 crore, according to state minister Jagat Singh Negi. In a statement to ANI in Shimla, Negi highlighted that the most affected areas include Kullu and Dharamshala, where the early arrival of the monsoon has led to sudden and severe flooding.
Officials have reported an increase in the death toll related to flash floods, particularly in Kangra and Kullu, where the body of a minor girl named Murti Devi was recovered near the riverbank in Bakshahal village. This brings the total fatalities in these districts to seven as rescue operations continue.
Negi noted that the heavy downpour has significantly disrupted road connectivity, electricity lines, and water supply schemes throughout the state. As of this morning, around 37 roads were reported blocked, and nearly 47 distribution transformers (DTRs) were damaged, impacting electrical supply. Fortunately, no National Highways are currently closed, and restoration efforts are actively underway.
In Uttarakhand, passenger movement on the Badrinath-Rishikesh highway was temporarily halted due to falling debris that blocked the roads at Sirobgad. The heavy rainfall across multiple districts in Uttarakhand has forced travelers heading to Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Hemkund Sahib to seek safe locations until conditions improve.
