Death toll in Himachal rises to 404; 229 in rain-related, while 175 in road-related accidents: SDMA Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 14 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh''s devastating monsoon season has claimed 404 lives since June 20, with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Sunday confirming that 229 deaths were caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, and house collapses, while another 175 people lost their lives in road accidents. The SDMA described the scale of destruction as "unprecedented," noting that thousands of homes, farms, and public assets have been damaged across the hill state. The total estimated losses so far amount to Rs 4,48,905.58 lakh (over Rs 44,890 crore). The cumulative report shows that 229 people died in rain-related disasters, including 48 in landslides, 11 in flash floods, 17 in cloudbursts, 38 in drowning cases, 15 due to snake bites, 17 due to electrocution, and 44 from falls in steep terrain. In addition, 175 deaths were recorded in road accidents, underscoring the fragility of Himachal''s transport network during the monsoon. Apart from the fatalities, 462 people sustained injuries, and 41 are reported missing. The rains also led to the death of 2,094 animals and nearly 26,955 poultry birds. Public property has borne the brunt of the monsoon fury, with major damage to roads, power supply lines, water schemes, health facilities, and schools. Electricity and water supply services have also taken a major hit. As of Sunday evening, 373 distribution transformers were out of order, leaving thousands without power in affected districts, while 188 water supply schemes were disrupted due to damaged pipelines and blocked access. According to the SDMA, losses are spread across multiple sectors: PWD (roads & bridges), Rs 2,73,9.35 lakh, Jal Shakti (water schemes): Rs 1,38,6.44 lakh, Power sector: Rs 13,94.6 lakh, Education: Rs 2,045 lakh and Rural & Urban Development: over Rs 1,800 lakh combined. In addition, 8,278 hectares of crops and 6,036 hectares of horticulture land have been damaged, hitting the rural economy hard. The worst-hit districts include Mandi (61 deaths). Kangra (55 deaths). Chamba (50 deaths). Kullu (44 deaths). and Shimla (43 deaths). Each district has reported large-scale destruction to both private homes and public infrastructure. The SDMA said efforts are ongoing to restore essential services. Hundreds of machines and field teams have been deployed to reopen blocked roads and repair transformers and water schemes. However, frequent landslides and continuous rainfall continue to hamper operations. "The scale of losses is massive, but the government is working in coordination with central agencies to provide relief and accelerate restoration," the SDMA stated. (ANI)