Natural disasters taking heavy toll on Himachal, says report; experts seek policy changes

The hilly State of Himachal Pradesh is experiencing increasingly unstable weather conditions and a rise in climate-induced disasters; This causes significant economic damage and high human casualties.

The Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2025, released recently by the state government, said economic losses are high and human toll is significant as Himachal continues to grapple with changing weather conditions and increasing number of natural disasters. Government ministries estimate losses of ₹46,000 crore in natural disasters in the last four years. It was stated that approximately 1,700 people lost their lives and thousands of houses and roads were destroyed in the last five monsoons.

In 2025, Himachal Pradesh received 46% excess rainfall between June 1 and September 6; This year alone, the state has suffered economic losses of over ₹4,000 crore and reported 366 deaths.

The onset of monsoon has become unpredictable due to delayed starts, early rainfall deficiencies and sudden heavy downpours. Seasons change; Early and warm springs affect agricultural calendars and flowering cycles of plants, winters are shorter and milder, summer temperatures are rising and temperatures reach 40°C in low-lying areas. The report states that heatwaves, once rare in hilly regions, are now occurring in Himachal valleys and surprisingly, winter heatwave days are more common than summer days.

The report noted that average annual temperatures have increased by 1.5°C since 1901, and the state has also seen an increase in days of extremely heavy rainfall (above 100 mm), with a 46% excess rainfall recorded in the period between 1 June and 6 September 2025. Glaciers are retreating at rates exceeding 50 meters per year and the formation of new glacial lakes has increased the risk of Glacial Lake Eruption Floods. Water shortages are increasing as two-thirds of traditional resources have dried up and the population of some villages has decreased.

Expressing concerns about climate variability in the ecologically fragile Himalayas, the report said that Himachal has made significant progress in health, education and poverty alleviation over the years, but climate change threatens to hinder this progress.

Environmentalists and scientists are concerned about the effects of climate change in the ecologically sensitive state and believe that governments should develop climate-resilient policies to address this situation.

S P Bhardwaj, horticultural scientist and former joint principal of Nauni University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan, said: “These signs of climate change are not good. Reduction in snow cover or rainfall will have a ripple effect of increase in temperature. For example, less snow will adversely affect apple cultivation by reducing key low temperatures and chilling hours required for crop cycles. Rising temperatures will increase pest and weed infestation and ultimately reduce productivity. Growers are present will face economic pressure due to switching varieties, fundamentally transforming Himachal’s signature apple industry with climate-adapted alternatives.”

SS Randhawa, former chief scientist of Himachal Pradesh Science Technology-Environment Council, said: “Snowfall in Himachal has been decreasing during the peak of winter and shifting towards late winter or early summer, threatening river flow and water security. Shimla has been witnessing the effects of rising temperatures in recent winters with negligible levels of snow. This alarming trend jeopardizes hydropower, water resources, agriculture, forests, animal husbandry and infrastructure and requires immediate attention from all stakeholders.”

“To effectively combat challenges from natural disasters and climate change, it is important for governments to adopt climate-resilient policies at the micro and local level,” he said.