Floods and landslides disrupt homes, livelihoods and essential services across Himachal.
Himachal Pradesh is facing a severe monsoon crisis, with 183 people losing their lives in just 47 days and cumulative losses crossing Rs 972 crore. Between June 30 and August 15, relentless rain triggered landslides, flash floods, falling rocks and other weather-related incidents across the hill state, leaving behind damaged homes, blocked roads, destroyed crops and disrupted essential services. The State Emergency Operations Centre has estimated the financial damage at around Rs 972.64 crore. While 79 deaths were attributed to natural disasters such as landslides, flash floods and lightning, another 104 people died in road accidents during the period. At least 291 people were injured and 31 remained missing. The disaster has also resulted in the deaths of hundreds of animals and birds.
But behind these figures is a population struggling with the everyday consequences of the disaster. For residents of remote villages, damaged roads have become one of the biggest problems. Landslides frequently cut off settlements from nearby towns, making it difficult for people to reach hospitals, schools and markets. In several areas, the disruption has also affected electricity and drinking-water supplies. “When the road closes, everything stops for us. We cannot take our produce to the market, children struggle to get to school and even a medical emergency becomes frightening. We feel completely cut off from the rest of the state,” said Prabhas Devkumar, a resident of a landslide-affected village in Mandi district.
For families whose houses have been damaged, the crisis is even more personal. In several vulnerable settlements, residents have been forced to move in with relatives or remain in partially damaged homes while waiting for repairs and assistance. “We have spent our savings building this house. Now every time it rains heavily, we are afraid that another portion of it will collapse. We don’t know whether to repair it or wait for the next disaster,” said Vibhu Mahajan, another affected resident.
The economic impact has spread well beyond damaged buildings. Agriculture and horticulture, on which thousands of hill families depend, have suffered as roads and bridges were washed away and fields were inundated or covered by debris. Farmers in Lahaul-Spiti, for example, have struggled to transport cabbage and pea crops to markets after damage to local connectivity. Some have reportedly been forced to abandon or destroy produce because it could not be transported in time. “A crop is not just a crop for us. It is our income for the entire season. When the road disappears, the vegetables rot in the field and all the money we invested is lost,” said Ganysham Negi, a farmer from the region.
Tourism has also been affected. Himachal’s hotels, homestays, taxi operators, restaurants and small shops depend heavily on the movement of visitors. Repeated warnings of landslides and road closures can force tourists to cancel journeys, leaving businesses with fewer customers during what should be an important season.
