The estimated cost of the damage is reportedly between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.
New Delhi:
Torrential rain has caused widespread devastation in Himachal Pradesh, with landslides, power outages, blocked roads, and damaged bridges. The death count has risen to 80 while many tourists are stranded in various parts of the hill state. The estimated cost of the damage is reportedly between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.
According to the state disaster management department, 31 people have died since July 8.
The department added that more than 1,300 roads have been blocked due to landslides, including the Chandigarh-Manali and Shimla-Kalka highways. One-way traffic from Manali to Mandi was opened last night, and more than 1,000 stranded tourist vehicles passed through the route overnight.
The department said that 40 bridges have been damaged in the rain fury while schools across the state have been declared shut till July 15. More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the affected areas.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu visited Kullu to assess the damage caused by the floods and landslides. The Chief Minister said that the situation has improved significantly, but there is still much work to be done.
The fourth day of continuous rain caused widespread devastation across North India, with multiple deaths, landslides, and destruction of property, with Himachal Pradesh being the worst-hit state.
The weather office said that the unprecedented rainfall is due to the confluence of a western disturbance and monsoonal winds.
On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy, very heavy, and extremely heavy rainfall in 23 states in the country. A red alert has been issued in Uttarakhand while extremely heavy rainfall is expected in West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya.