Himachal: 65 people died in cloudburst and flood incidents this monsoon

Himachal Pradesh: The state witnessed 54 incidents of cloudburst and flash floods this monsoon season, resulting in the death of 65 people and 33 people going missing. Besides, there were 47 landslide incidents, which claimed five more lives. According to DC Rana, director-cum-special secretary, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the state has suffered an estimated financial loss of Rs 1,363 crore due to these natural calamities. The maximum damage was caused in Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts on the night of July 31 and August 1, where 55 people lost their lives. Technological intervention has played a vital role in the post-disaster damage assessment, using high-resolution satellite data provided by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and the State Centre on Climate Change under HimCOST.

Satellite analysis revealed that the flash flood in Rampur, which claimed 35 lives, was caused by heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Samej Khad at an altitude of 5,434 metres. The flood affected not only Samej Khad but also its neighbouring areas including Kurpan and Ghanvi Khad. A team of Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) led by the Director (DM) visited the affected areas for preliminary assessment. Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena highlighted that the state suffers huge losses in terms of human lives and government resources every year. He stressed the need for in-depth study on cloudburst events involving institutions like India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) to better understand and predict these events. Such research is important in the context of climate change, as hilly areas remain highly vulnerable to climate changes, which pose significant threats to the lives and livelihoods of local communities.