Key Points

The cumulative monsoon death toll has risen to 202, including 108 fatalities directly linked to rain-related incidents like landslides, flash floods, and house collapses, while 94 have died in road accidents during this season, the SEOC confirmed.

National Highways 305 and 5 are among the blocked routes, with Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla emerging as the worst-hit districts in terms of road blockages. In Kullu alone, 117 roads are blocked, while Mandi reported 108 disrupted water schemes and 228 damaged power transformers, among the highest in the state.

Officials said the road, water, and electricity restoration work is underway on war footing across the districts. "All line departments are actively engaged in restoration efforts, and our emergency operation teams are monitoring the evolving situation 24x7," said a senior official from SDMA.

The government has appealed to residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel to vulnerable hilly areas during ongoing alerts. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting continued rainfall over the next few days, the state remains on high alert.

Earlier today, as intense monsoon rains hit Himachal Pradesh for the third consecutive year, scientists and environmentalists have raised serious concerns over the increasing frequency of high-intensity rainfall, triggered by a dangerous combination of global warming, delayed western disturbances, and monsoonal systems.

The alarm was sounded following an incident early Thursday morning, when a massive deodar tree collapsed onto the Environment Directorate building in the US Club area of Shimla. The tree, which had been leaning precariously for days due to continuous rain, uprooted around 5:30 AM, causing partial damage to the building's roof and entrance gate. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

- ANI