Himachal suffers Rs 682-crore losses due to monsoon

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 4

The losses due to cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides and other rain-related incidents during the current monsoon season till August 2 (mid season) have mounted to Rs 682 crore.

The losses were Rs 865 crore and Rs 914 crore during the full season in 2020 and 2017, respectively. These were higher at Rs 1,594 crore in 2018 and Rs 1,225 crore in 2019.

So far, 219 persons have died in the monsoon season beginning June 13. As many as 12 persons have been reported missing this year till now against 75 in 2017, 343 in 2018, 307 in 2019 and 284 in 2020. The year 2018 was the worst as far as the damage and losses are concerned. The damage to agriculture (14,887 ha) and horticulture land (18,731 ha) was the highest in during 2017, compared to 7,004 ha horticulture land which was damaged this year.

The loss to the Public Works Department has been Rs 451.56 crore to date, compared to Rs 433.25 crore in 2017, Rs 929.77 crore in 2018, Rs 594.99 in 2019 and Rs 432.50 crore in 2020.

The monsoon is active and in case heavy rains continue, the loss and damage can be very high in the next two months.

As many as 90 roads, including 46 in Mandi and 23 in Shimla district, were are still closed and 51 water supply schemes have been disrupted.

Light to moderate rains lashed parts of Himachal today and Jogindernagar was the wettest in the region with 59 mm of rain, followed by Kufri with 35 mm, Paonta Sahib 33 mm, Nahan 25 mm, Dhaula Kuan 24.5 mm, Guler and Sarkaghat 24 mm each and Shilaroo 21 mm.

However, the state received six per cent deficit rainfall from June 1 to August 4, despite frequent periodic rains.

There was no notable change in the minimum and maximum temperatures and Keylong was the coldest at night with a low of 11.3 degrees C while Una was the hottest in the day, recording a high of 34.7 degrees C.