Monsoon caused 343 deaths in HP, losses pegged at Rs 1,600 cr

Shimla: As many as 343 persons lost their lives in the flash floods, landslides, cloud bursts and road accidents during the monsoon causing a loss of Rs 1,600 crore to the public and private properties in Himachal Pradesh.

These figures were released by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday during an inter-ministerial central team at Mandi. The team was here to assess the losses and other damages suffered by the state as result of natural calamities and rains related accidents and recommended appropriate relief package for the state, currently ruled by the BJP.

"The state has suffered cumulative losses and damages worth about Rs 1,600 crores since July 1, 2018 due to untimely snowfall in tribal areas," Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told the team.

The Public Works department – which looks after roads and bridges, suffered major losses damages to the public properties. The total losses on this account have been accessed about Rs 930 crores. There were 405 incidents of landslides and 34 cloudbursts have been reported in the state. The Irrigation and Public Health department suffered losses worth Rs 430 crores while Rs 130.37 crores to agriculture crops and infrastructures.

Thakur said that 4,033 persons were rescued by different means from Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts between September 3 to October 1, 2018 after untimely snowfall in the area. The state government deployed seven helicopters of Indian Air Force to airlift 292 stranded people in Lahul-Spiti and Chamba districts.