Chief Minister orders swift relief, restoration after monsoon devastation; thousands of homes damaged, infrastructure crippled

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh — September 18, 2025 Himachal Pradesh is reeling from one of its worst monsoon seasons in recent memory. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed urgent relief and restoration operations across the state in light of extensive damage caused by heavy rains, cloudbursts, and landslides. Officials report at least 417 deaths, with 45 persons still missing, as of today. Losses are estimated at a staggering ₹4,582 crore, and some 15,022 structures—homes, shops, cowsheds—have been damaged in varying degrees. The state has faced 136% excess rainfall in September alone. Overall, the monsoon season has delivered 45% more rainfall than average. These anomalous figures have triggered widespread flooding, severe damage to road networks, disruptions in power and water supply, and distress to agriculture—especially in apple-producing regions. Sukhu has specifically ordered deputy commissioners to personally inspect damage sites and lead the response effort from the front. Key priorities include restoring road access, particularly in the hill districts, and bringing back essential services like electricity and potable water to affected areas. To aid apple farmers whose produce and transport routes are under threat, the Himachal Pradesh Marketing Corporation (HPMC) will provide additional transport services. Relief measures for displaced or affected people include financial assistance: ₹10,000 for urban households and ₹5,000 for those in rural areas. The government is also considering doing away with the requirement that people stay at relief camps to be eligible for aid, recognizing that many prefer to shelter where they currently are. Infrastructure damage has been widespread. Over 517 roads are blocked statewide, with Mandi district being hit hardest (187 roads blocked), followed by Kullu, Shimla, and Kangra. Power infrastructure is severely affected: 441 transformers are non-functional, of which 329 are in Mandi. The water supply network is severely compromised as well—274 water supply schemes are yet to be restored, including 180 in Mandi. In the town of Dharampur in Mandi district, flash floods earlier (September 15–16) severely damaged infrastructure. Two persons remain missing, and rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and local authorities are operating under “Operation Hausal” to search for them. Shops, houses, bus stands, and electric infrastructure have been submerged or destroyed, with losses already estimated in multi-crores. The monsoon’s intensity has exposed vulnerabilities in the district’s disaster readiness, especially in remote hilly terrain. Landslides, debris flow, and broken roads isolate many villages. There is also concern about health, sanitation, and food supply for those cut off. Sukhu’s government has asked for constant monitoring, early warnings, and anticipatory measures in known risk zones to avoid further loss of life. As of this report, restoration teams are working day and night. The government has allocated resources to ensure basic connectivity returns, including temporary repair crews for roads and bridges, while also focused on trying to prevent further tragedies amid forecasted continuing rainfall. There is urgency in the air: communities, local bodies, and government machinery are being mobilized rapidly to help people recover, rebuild, and brace for potentially more monsoon fallout.