Himachal Pradesh is grappling with one of its worst monsoon disasters in recent years, with 63 people confirmed dead and at least 40 missing following relentless rain, cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides across the hill state. Property damage has already crossed Rs 400 crore, according to preliminary government estimates, though officials caution that the actual losses could be significantly higher.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert across all districts until July 7, warning of continued severe weather.

Mandi district remains the epicentre of destruction. The Thunag sub-division and Bagsayed have been particularly devastated, with washed-out roads, widespread power and water outages and reports of entire homes collapsing in landslides. “We have recorded over Rs 400 crore in losses so far, as entered in our system. But the actual damage is likely to be much higher,” said DC Rana, Special Secretary of the State Disaster Management Authority and Revenue Department, LiveMint reported. “Our primary focus at the moment is on search, rescue and restoration.”

As per state officials cited by NDTV, Mandi alone accounts for 17 deaths and at least 40 missing persons. Further casualties have been reported from Kangra (13), Chamba (6), Shimla (5) and other districts including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul Spiti, Sirmour, Solan and Una. More than 100 people have been injured in the calamity.

Former Chief Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, addressing a press conference in Mandi, said his Assembly constituency of Seraj is among the worst affected with over 500 houses  damaged.

According to a Live Mint report, the scale of the devastation is staggering. Over 150 homes, 106 cattle sheds, 14 bridges and 31 vehicles have been damaged. Nearly 300 livestock, including 164 cattle, have perished. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) reported that more than 500 roads are now impassable, with 246 closed in recent days, including 145 in Mandi alone. Power and water supply have taken a major hit, with 404 transformers and 784 water supply schemes non-operational.

Terrifying visuals circulating online show the scale of the destruction. In one video from Sirmaur district, a massive landslide can be seen hurtling down a hill, with boulders and mud crashing onto a narrow dirt road. The person filming is heard warning others to flee. In Shimla's Dhalli suburb, a chunk of hillside gave way, triggering a massive landslide, though no casualties were reported.

As per Live Mint. relief operations are underway on a war footing. The Indian Air Force has air-dropped 246 ration kits in the worst-hit areas of Thunag and Janjheli. Five relief camps have been set up and over 400 people, 348 of them in Mandi, have been rescued, officials said. The Jal Shakti department has initiated chlorinated, gravity-based water supply schemes in affected villages to ensure safe drinking water.

Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), alongside the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and home guards, are conducting rescue and relief efforts. However, the remote terrain and damaged communication infrastructure have posed significant challenges. The Department of Telecommunications has activated Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) and deployed ISATs in Thunag for emergency connectivity.

The Manali-Keylong road remains blocked after flooding near Solang Nallah, with traffic being diverted through Rohtang Pass. In Lindidhar village on the Kaithlighat-Dhalli stretch, a collapsed road embankment left several houses in a precarious state and reportedly damaged many apple trees. Locals have blamed the National Highway Authority of India for ignoring prior warnings about the fragile safety wall in the area.