Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc Across the State, Claiming 135 Lives and Crippling Essential Services
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), July 23: The monsoon’s unending rage has entirely shut down Himachal Pradesh, making it a nightmare. It’s not just severe rain; it’s a full-blown crisis. Roads are blocked, thousands of people are without power, and essential services are having a hard time in district after district. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said that the situation is very bad.
As of yesterday, July 22, 2025, there are still an unbelievable 432 blocked highways, which makes getting around and getting to places very hard. Things are just as terrible when it comes to power: 534 power distribution transformers are broken, leaving huge areas in the dark. And to make matters worse, 197 water supply plans have been significantly affected, leaving many people without clean water.
The loss of life is terrible. Sadly, the total number of deaths has reached 135. 76 of these people perished directly because of rain-related events like landslides that destroyed homes, flash floods that came out of nowhere, cloudbursts that came out of nowhere, and even electrocution. Another 59 people died in car accidents, which were made considerably worse by the bad weather.
Some areas have been affected especially hard. Mandi (17 deaths), Kangra (16), Kullu (8), and Chamba (7) have lost the most people to this never-ending string of natural disasters. In Kangra, flash floods have torn through, in Mandi, cloudbursts have caused havoc, while in Shimla and Solan, enormous landslides have happened. These numbers don’t simply show how many homes were destroyed, bridges were washed away, roads were wrecked, cow sheds were collapsed, and farmland was ruined.
The financial damage is huge, estimated to be ₹1,24,734.67 lakh (that’s more than ₹12.47 billion!). More than 540 homes have been entirely destroyed, leaving thousands of families homeless and in need. Since June 20, 2025, Himachal Pradesh has had an amazing 25 landslides, 40 flash floods, and 23 cloudbursts in less than five weeks. It really makes you see how powerful this monsoon is.
People aren’t the only ones. The calamity has also killed 1,296 animals and 21,500 birds, which has made things even worse for those in rural areas. Public infrastructure in important areas like PWD, JSV (water supply), power, education, animal husbandry, and rural development has been severely and widely damaged.
Authorities are working hard to get through this issue. The NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), and devoted local teams are doing an amazing job of helping with rescue and relief efforts. Many relief camps have been put up to help people who have lost everything, and money is being sent to the families of the dead and those who have been forced to leave their homes.
The SDMA has made a strong request to the public: keep aware, avoid regions that are likely to have landslides, and always heed all weather warnings. Getting those important roads, bridges, and utilities back online is the administration’s primary priority right now. This will assist the state get back on its feet.