Entire Himachal Pradesh declared 'disaster hit': 45 cloudbursts, 91 flash floods and 105 major landslides

The Himachal Pradesh government has officially declared the entire state a “disaster-hit” area following catastrophic monsoon rains that have caused devastation estimated at more than Rs 3,000 crore. The announcement, made by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the state Assembly on Monday, comes as the region grapples with the aftermath of widespread destruction.

According to a report in The Tribune, the Chief Minister detailed the immense scale of the tragedy, confirming that 161 people have lost their lives since the monsoon began on June 19. A further 40 individuals remain missing. The calamity has been marked by 45 cloudbursts, 91 flash floods and 105 major landslides, which have ravaged infrastructure across the state.

The worst-impacted districts are Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, Kangra and Kinnaur. The Chief Minister stated that the maximum damage has been inflicted upon critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges and water and power supply schemes, hampering relief and rescue operations.

The formal declaration was issued by the state’s Disaster Management Cell under the Disaster Management Act, 2025, as reported by The Tribune. This designation is intended to streamline and intensify relief and rehabilitation efforts.

A specific and grim situation is unfolding in Chamba’s Bharmour sub-division, the site of the Manimahesh Yatra. The Chief Minister addressed concerns about casualty figures, stating there was no discrepancy and confirming that 16 pilgrims had died. “The bodies of four of them are still stuck at Kugti village in Bharmour. The Chamba administration has arranged 20 porters to get the bodies out, but heavy rain is hampering the process,” Sukhu was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

The political response to the crisis was also a feature of the Assembly session. The Chief Minister revealed he had received a letter from former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, who had written to the Prime Minister advocating for a special relief package of Rs 20,000 crore for the state.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur raised urgent concerns about the plight of those still stranded, asserting that over 500 people remain unable to leave Bharmour. He appealed to the government to prioritise restoring road connectivity to facilitate their evacuation.