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13% less rain, yet Himachal battles monsoon havoc; 221 dead, Rs 1,110 crore losses
Shashi Bhushan Purohit
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), August 22, 2026: Himachal Pradesh is witnessing widespread devastation during the ongoing monsoon despite receiving 13 per cent less rainfall than normal since June 30. Rain-triggered disasters, including landslides, have claimed 221 lives and caused estimated losses of around ₹1,110 crore across the state.
According to data released by the State Emergency Operations Centre, 330 people have been injured and one person remains missing in monsoon-related incidents.
The disasters have also caused extensive damage to residential properties. As many as 87 houses have been completely destroyed, while 361 houses have suffered partial damage. In addition, 437 animals have died in various rain-related incidents.
Roads, water supply and power hit
The monsoon has severely affected infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh, including several tourist destinations that have witnessed disruption due to landslides and other weather-related incidents.
At present, 99 roads remain closed to traffic because of landslides. The disruption has also affected essential services, with 66 drinking water schemes and seven power transformers reported to be non-functional.
Rainfall varies sharply across districts
Despite the overall rainfall deficit, several parts of Himachal Pradesh have received substantially more rain than normal in recent weeks.
Between August 1 and 21, Sirmaur recorded 22 per cent excess rainfall, while Kullu received 17 per cent more than normal. The highest departure was reported from Lahaul-Spiti, which recorded 67 per cent more rainfall than normal during the period.
The sharp variation in rainfall across districts highlights the uneven nature of the monsoon and the vulnerability of Himachal Pradesh’s mountainous terrain to intense rainfall events. Even with below-normal rainfall overall, concentrated spells have triggered landslides, damaged infrastructure and caused significant loss of life and property.