Himachal Pradesh: A tragedy in many parts
₹10,000 crore. The State Disaster Management Authority’s data notes that 379 persons have lost their lives in rain-related incidents to date, while 352 have suffered injuries, 38 are missing and 16,343 animals have died. Over 2,457 houses have been completely damaged, while 10,569 have suffered partial damage; 307 shops and 5,439 cowsheds have also been damaged.
As of 27 August, 160 landslides and 66 flash floods had been reported in the state. The Himachal Pradesh government has declared the entire state a “natural calamity-affected area". Tourism, a major source of revenue, has been hit.
Social media and local television channels have been in overdrive to capture the mayhem, with visuals of floods, landslides, mudslides, fallen trees, broken bridges, and so on. Recently, the hill state again had to endure incessant rain, which triggered landslides leading to the closure of hundreds of roads. The relentless onslaught has reduced many in Himachal to a state of anxiety.
Shrey Paul Sood, a Shimla resident, said that the damage in the city and other areas this year is “unprecedented". “There have been heavy rains in Shimla in the past, too, but the magnitude of the damage wasn’t this much. It is also the result of unplanned construction in Shimla since the last decade," said Sood.
Most major businesses, except shops selling daily essentials, remained shut while students took classes online. Sadly, the disaster has brought out the worst instincts in some who have been looking to cash in on it. For instance, the supply of daily essentials such as milk, bread and eggs, among other items, was hit across the state during the downpour, leading shopkeepers to charge a premium.
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