The hill state of Himachal Pradesh is battling a mounting humanitarian crisis as torrential rains continue to lash the region for the sixth consecutive day. From the ravaged hillsides of <a title="Himachal Pradesh" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/environment/cloudbursts-hit-mandi-1-dead-9-missing-in-floods/15452" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mandi</a> to the submerged classrooms of Shimla, the relentless monsoon has left a trail of devastation&mdash;flattening homes, isolating villages, and sweeping away livelihoods.
On the ground, scenes of ruin are everywhere: collapsed roads, washed-out bridges, landslides blocking entire stretches of highways, and homes precariously hanging over eroded slopes. Official sources confirm that at least 37 lives have been lost to rain-triggered incidents across the state. Another 26 fatalities have been reported in related road accidents since the onset of the monsoon surge.
ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/environment/himachal-rain-fury-34-missing-search-continues/15632
According to figures compiled by the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, damages to public and private infrastructure have already crossed ₹400 crore. However, senior officials on site suggest the real figure could be substantially higher, as field assessments continue across inaccessible zones.
In Mandi district&mdash;now the epicentre of the catastrophe&mdash;entire villages remain cut off. The Thunag subdivision is bearing the brunt, with critical roads blocked, power lines down, and piped water systems destroyed. Relief efforts are being stretched to their limits. In one of the worst-affected areas, Indian Air Force helicopters have had to airdrop food parcels to stranded families, while local authorities race against time to set up relief camps in safer terrain.
Speaking from the state&rsquo;s emergency response centre, a senior official overseeing operations confirmed that 40 persons in Mandi remain untraceable. Engineers from key departments&mdash;Public Works, Electricity Board, and Jal Shakti&mdash;have been deployed across multiple sites, where landslides and river overflows have rendered restoration efforts hazardous.
Over 250 roads across Himachal Pradesh are currently blocked, with hill slopes still crumbling under persistent rain. More than 500 electricity transformers have failed, plunging many areas into darkness, while approximately 700 drinking water schemes stand disrupted&mdash;raising fears of a potential public health emergency if the rains continue unchecked.
In Shimla, the impact is no less severe. Life in the capital town has ground to a halt, with public institutions unable to function normally. Schools have been heavily affected. In one flooded school, children waded through ankle-deep water inside classrooms, their textbooks soaked and bags muddied. With visible fear, several students have reportedly refused to attend in-person classes, prompting schools to advise children to remain indoors until weather conditions improve.
The India Meteorological Department has issued an extended rain alert across the state till 7 July, warning of further heavy downpours, flash floods, and potential landslides.
Experts warn that the current crisis is not merely seasonal misfortune but a consequence of deeper climate disturbances. Senior officials in the Disaster Management Authority have underscored the role of global warming in exacerbating these weather events, adding that Himachal Pradesh is now firmly in the crosshairs of climate-induced vulnerabilities.
With each passing hour, the toll rises&mdash;not just in numbers, but in despair. The state&rsquo;s emergency services are now locked in a battle not only to save lives, but to hold together what remains of normalcy in the face of nature&rsquo;s fury.
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devastation after torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh

Torrential rains wreak havoc across Himachal; villages cut off, rescue ops in full swing

Himachal Flood Fury: 37 Dead, Mandi Worst-Hit

Torrential rains wreak havoc across Himachal; villages cut off, rescue ops in full swing

July 4, 2025 | 15:18 IST