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The continuous torrential monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh have led to the blockage of 534 roads, while 1,184 electricity distribution transformers have been disrupted, the State Disaster Management Authority said on Thursday..
The statewide death toll in Himachal Pradesh due to landslides, flash floods and house collapses has risen to 310, SDMA said. Kullu district reported the highest road damage, with 166 stretches blocked, including a national highway, followed by Mandi with 216 road closures. Power outages were most severe in Kullu (600 transformers disrupted) and Mandi (320 transformers), while Kangra suffered the worst impact on its water supply, with 266 schemes disrupted. The report noted that access to Chamba district remains partially unclear as updated figures from some subdivisions are awaited due to connectivity issues. Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has triggered new landslides in multiple districts, further hindering restoration efforts. Authorities said restoration teams are working around the clock, but adverse weather and recurring landslides are slowing the clearance of blocked roads and repair of damaged utilities. "Given the widespread disruptions, priority is being given to restoring critical road links, electricity to hospitals, and water to affected habitations," the SDMA added. Meanwhile, as per the SDMA update on August 27, road accidents, which surged amid slippery roads, poor visibility, and landslide debris, claimed 22 lives each in Chamba and Mandi, 19 in Kangra, 16 in Solan, and 15 in Shimla. Fatal crashes were also recorded in Bilaspur (7), Kinnaur (14), Kullu (13), and other districts. The disaster has also caused massive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods. The total estimated loss to public property stands at over Rs 2.45 lakh crore, with the Public Works Department (PWD) reporting Rs 1.31 lakh crore in road damage, Jal Shakti Vibhag (JSV) noting Rs 87,226 crore in water supply and irrigation losses, and the power sector reporting Rs 13,946 crore in damage to electricity infrastructure. (ANI)
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