Himachal Floods Claim 17 Lives In A Week, Cause Rs 300 Cr Estimated Loss

A total of 17 people lost their lives over the week due to flash floods triggered by heavy rains across Himachal Pradesh. The natural calamity has caused infrastructural damage worth at least ₹300 crore, state minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Saturday.

Negi said that 17 people died so far due to rain-related incidents across the Himalayan state with flash floods reported particularly in parts of Kullu and Dharamshala. 

“This time, the monsoon arrived very early. The flash floods, especially in Kullu and Dharamshala areas, have caused sudden devastation," Negi told ANI. Seventeen people have died across districts due to rain-related incidents,” he added. 

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The death toll due to the flash floods on June 25 saw seven more additions after one more body was recovered. The body of a minor girl, identified as Murti Devi, was recovered near the riverside in Bakshahal village in Kullu district, they said, as per the officials aware of the matter. 

The minister added that the heavy rains have severely disrupted road connectivity, electricity lines, and water supply schemes in several parts of the state. 

“In the last evening and this morning, around 37 roads were reported blocked, and nearly 47 distribution transformers (DTRs) were damaged, affecting the electricity supply. However, no National Highway is currently closed, and restoration work is actively underway,” he said.

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Additionally, small bridges in some areas have been washed away, further hampering local connectivity. “Initial estimates suggest that the damages caused by heavy rains in just one week have crossed ₹300 crore.”

The inclement weather has also disrupted routine life in Uttarakhand. Passenger movement was temporarily halted on the Badrinath-Rishikesh highway in Uttarakhand on Saturday after falling debris blocked the roads at Sirobgad. 

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