The monsoon season has begun on a somber note in Himachal Pradesh, with 11 fatalities and 12 injuries reported since the onset of rains on June 30, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre. The heavy downpour has severely impacted road connectivity and power supply across the hill state.
District-wise Casualties
Kangra district has recorded the highest number of deaths at three, while Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti each reported two fatalities. One death each has been reported from Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, and Chamba districts. Among the injured, Lahaul and Spiti accounts for four, Shimla two, and one each from Kullu, Mandi, Hamirpur, Una, Chamba, and Sirmaur, as per official data.
Infrastructure Damage
The incessant rainfall has left 49 roads blocked across the state. Kullu district has the highest number of blocked roads at 30, followed by Sirmaur with eight, Chamba with seven, and two each in Una and Lahaul and Spiti. Power infrastructure has also been affected, with 42 distribution transformers disrupted. Sirmaur has reported the highest damage with 27 transformers affected, followed by Chamba (eight), Kullu and Mandi (three each), and Lahaul and Spiti (one).
Weather Forecast and Alerts
The Meteorological Centre has predicted continued wet weather until July 8 and issued orange and yellow alerts for several districts. An orange alert has been sounded for Kangra and Mandi on July 3, warning of very heavy to heavy rainfall at isolated places. Yellow alerts have been issued for Shimla, Kullu, Una, and Sirmaur, where heavy to moderate rainfall is expected. Minimum temperatures are likely to remain near normal, but maximum temperatures may rise by 3°C to 5°C in the coming days.
