Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda visited Baga village in Mandi district on Wednesday to meet families affected by the recent cloudburst and heavy rainfall, which have caused widespread destruction across Himachal Pradesh.
Nadda was accompanied by former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, as they interacted with victims and assessed the situation on the ground.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 85 people have lost their lives since the monsoon began on June 20, 2025, with 54 deaths linked directly to rain-related incidents like landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning, while 31 fatalities resulted from road accidents.
The state has suffered a monetary loss exceeding ₹718 crore, with extensive damage to both public and private property. The SDMA report also recorded:
- 129 injured individuals
- 340 houses completely destroyed
- 10,255 livestock and poultry deaths
Mandi district has emerged as the worst-hit, recording 17 rain-related deaths, damage to 247 homes, 149 cowsheds, and the loss of 225 animals.
The crisis has crippled infrastructure across the state. As of Tuesday evening:
- 198 roads remain blocked
- 159 power transformers are non-functional
- 297 water supply schemes are disrupted
The restoration process is underway, but officials warn that the scale of devastation is overwhelming.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited affected areas in Shimla and stated that rural regions are under severe strain, although urban centres remain mostly stable.
“We are working to assist affected families, and compensation measures will be addressed in the upcoming Cabinet meeting,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state remains on high alert as the monsoon continues to intensify across the hill regions.