Himachal monsoon losses cross Rs 1,600 crore; natural disasters claim 119 lives
PWD accounts for Rs 1,231.59 crore of total loss; 67 roads remain blocked and 142 transformers disrupted
The total loss caused by torrential rain during the ongoing monsoon season has breached the Rs 1,600-crore mark, with the state suffering a total loss of Rs 1,661.96 crore since the onset of the monsoon season.
As per the Department of Revenue, the Public Works Department alone has suffered about Rs 1,231.59 crore of the total loss. Similarly, the Jal Shakti Vibhag has suffered a loss of Rs 368.68 crore and the Power Department Rs 21.5 crore.
As many as 296 persons have lost their lives in the state during the season, of which 177 died in road accidents, while 119 died due to various natural disasters such as flash floods and landslides.
Furthermore, about 129 houses have also been completely damaged across the state.
Additionally, 67 roads continue to remain blocked, while about 142 transformers remain disrupted across the state after being damaged due to torrential rains during the ongoing monsoon season.
As per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), of the total blocked roads, 36 are in Mandi, 11 in Kullu, 10 in Kangra, three each in Shimla, Sirmaur and Una, and one in Lahaul and Spiti. Also, 92 transformers remain disrupted in Mandi, 34 in Shimla and 16 in Kullu.
Meanwhile, light to moderate rain is very likely to continue across the state on Saturday, as the State Meteorological Centre has issued a yellow alert for Shimla, Solan, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, Sirmaur and Lahaul and Spiti. The weather is expected to remain dry in the rest of the state.
