Shimla: Monsoon havoc continues in Himachal Pradesh. It is raining heavily in many places. Landslides are happening every day in many districts including the capital Shimla. According to the information given by the State Emergency Operation Center of the Disaster Management Authority, between June 13 and August 22, 302 people died in the state. 11 people are still missing. Death has rained twice in the Kinnaur district. There has also been significant damage to property. According to the estimates so far, property worth Rs 800 crore has been damaged in the state. Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department has confirmed this.
Statistics show that 578 cattle have died during this period. 44 pucca and 91 kutcha houses have been demolished. Apart from these, 121 pucca and 556 kutcha houses have been damaged. 142 out of 302 people have died in road accidents. 51 people have died in landslides and 10 in flash floods. There are 28 people who have died due to drowning. Out of 51 deaths due to landslides, 37 people have died in the Kinnaur district alone.
Kinnaur, Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kullu districts have seen maximum devastation in this rainy season. The accident in Kinnaur has shocked and disturbed everyone. Regarding such accidents, Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Senior Scientific Professional of the State Biodiversity Board, says that a similar incident happened in Kinnaur in 2013 as well. At that time also a team of scientists had visited there. In that also it was found that due to the blasting done for tunnel construction and other developmental activities, the mountains there became shaky. Rainfall used to be very less in that area, but in the last few decades, it is raining due to changes in the environment. Due to rain, water keeps entering through the cracks of the mountains of the area and the soil of few hills keeps on loosening. As a result of which such accidents happen. He said that Kinnaur has vegetation like Uttarakhand and the way disasters happen there, similarly, they are happening in Kinnaur too.
Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, says that till now the monsoon is going normal. But many areas of the Kullu and Chamba districts have received more rain. On average, some areas of the state have received less rainfall. The sudden heavy rain has caused more damage. He said that the damage assessment is being done, those who have died have been compensated.
