Shimla: The 2025 monsoon has turned Himachal Pradesh into a valley of tragedies, claiming 268 lives so far—140 to natural calamities and 128 to road accidents.
The grim data paints a stark picture of how fragile the hill state remains in the face of climate extremes and unsafe roads.
District-wise data shows Mandi (47 deaths) and Kangra (41 deaths) topping the casualty charts, emerging as the state’s most disaster-prone belts.
Flash floods and cloudbursts were the biggest killers in Mandi, while Kangra saw a cocktail of flash floods, drowning, electrocution, and snakebites take lives.
Overall, 28 people drowned, 27 died in tree or rock falls, 25 in “other causes”, while landslides (9) and flash floods (9) accounted for fewer deaths than expected this season. A rare silver lining—no avalanche deaths were reported.
The road toll is equally chilling. 128 people perished in accidents, with Chamba and Mandi (21 each) again topping the charts, followed by Shimla (15) and Kangra (13). Narrow, crumbling highways and reckless driving continue to take as many lives as floods and landslides.
Experts say the numbers underline a double whammy: climate disasters are intensifying, but the state’s road safety crisis is worsening year by year.
With the monsoon still active till mid-September, officials fear the numbers could climb further unless urgent safety and disaster-preparedness measures are pushed on the ground.
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