Munish Sood
MANDI: Himachal Pradesh is reeling under one of its harshest monsoon seasons in recent memory, battered by a wave of cloudbursts, flashfloods and landslides that have left behind a trail of destruction.
According to figures from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), between June 20 and August 26, 2025, the state recorded 41 cloudbursts, 77 flashfloods and 81 major landslides.
The scale of damage has been staggering. As of August 29, more than 524 roads, including two national highways, remain blocked, 1,230 electricity transformers stand disrupted and 416 water supply schemes are non-functional, cutting off basic services to thousands of households. The economic impact is equally severe, with rain-related damages already crossing Rs 2,394 crore this monsoon.
Cloudbursts a warning signal, says expert
Disaster management expert Rajan Kumar Sharma believes this year’s monsoon must serve as a wake-up call. “Forty-one cloudbursts in just two months are unprecedented. This is not just an extreme weather phenomenon but a warning sign that the Himalayan ecosystem is collapsing under the combined weight of climate change and unscientific development.”
Rajan Kumar Sharma said that while the Himalayas are naturally prone to disasters due to their fragile geology, the intensity of recent events shows that climate patterns are shifting.
“A cloudburst on an unstable slope is like striking a match in a forest — it unleashes devastation instantly. Roads vanish, rivers swell and houses are washed away, and lives are lost within minutes,” said Sharma.
Nature meets negligence
Sharma argues that disasters are escalating because of a dangerous mix of natural fragility and human negligence.
• Unregulated infrastructure projects — roads, tunnels and hydropower plants without adequate geological surveys — have destabilised the slopes.
• Deforestation and haphazard urbanisation have stripped natural barriers, making flash floods and landslides more frequent.
• Tourism pressure and encroachments in vulnerable zones have multiplied risks.
“Every new highway carved recklessly into a hill, every tree felled without thought and every unchecked construction on riverbanks is a step toward tomorrow’s disaster,” Sharma said.
People and economy at receiving end
The impact has been felt across sectors as national highways and arterial roads remain cut off for days. With over 1,200 transformers and 400 water schemes down, large populations face prolonged outages. Crop losses across 88,800 hectares of land have deepened the crisis for farmers.
Pilgrimages and holiday travel have been disrupted, causing huge financial strain to local businesses. Sharma stressed that beyond financial losses, the social displacement is devastating. “Entire villages are being uprooted. Families are forced to migrate, leaving behind land and livelihoods. These are wounds that last for generations,” he said.
Sharma has outlined a clear roadmap for reducing disaster intensity:
- Scientific planning: All roads, tunnels and hydropower projects must undergo geological and environmental scrutiny before approval.
- Green safeguards: Reforestation drives, catchment area treatment and strict building codes in sensitive slopes.
- Technology and warnings: Satellite-based weather tracking, cloudburst detection and sensor-driven landslide alarms.
- Community empowerment: Training locals in disaster drills, reviving traditional architecture and promoting eco-tourism and organic farming as sustainable livelihoods.
Warns future disasters could be even worse
“The Himalayas will always remain disaster-prone, something that cannot be changed. But if we continue to build without balance, we are inviting even greater tragedies. The disasters of tomorrow could be deadlier than anything we’ve witnessed this year,” he said.
