Himachal Pradesh (HP) recorded the second-highest number of deaths in hydro-meteorological disasters in the country this year, with 358 fatalities reported due to rains, landslides, and cloudburst incidents. Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 373 deaths.

In addition to the loss of human lives, HP suffered significant damage to livestock and property. A total of 7,088 cattle were lost in natural calamities, and 1,004 houses were damaged.

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The Ministry of Home Affairs shared these figures in the Lok Sabha in response to an unstarred question from Tamil Nadu MPs Selvaraj V and Subbarayan K.

In Madhya Pradesh, the loss of cattle stood at 1,204, but the number of houses damaged was far higher, with 8,147 properties affected this year. Kerala ranked third among the worst-affected states, with 322 fatalities and 7,780 houses damaged in hydro-meteorological disasters.

In northern India, HP emerged as the most affected state. In comparison, the death toll in Uttarakhand was 80, followed by 68 in Delhi, 28 in Jammu and Kashmir, 23 in Punjab, and one in Haryana.

The MHA clarified in the Lok Sabha that, as per the National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM), the primary responsibility for disaster management—including the disbursement of relief assistance—rests with the respective State Governments.

“The State Governments undertake relief measures in the wake of natural calamities using the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which is already at their disposal, in accordance with Government of India-approved items and norms. The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments by providing requisite logistical and financial support. Additional financial assistance is provided from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), following a laid-down procedure in case of a disaster of a ‘severe nature.’ This includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT),” the MHA noted in its response.

As of November 27, 12 IMCTs have been constituted for the states of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Kerala, Nagaland, Tripura, Gujarat, Telangana, West Bengal, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha to conduct on-the-spot assessments of damages caused by natural calamities during 2024. “The reports of IMCTs are considered by the Central Government as per the established procedure,” stated the MHA.

Himachal Pradesh has been allocated a total of ₹420 crore under the SDRF, with ₹378.40 crore provided by the Central Government and ₹41.60 crore contributed by the State Government. Out of this, two installments totaling ₹378.40 crore have been released under the SDRF, along with ₹66.824 crore released under the NDRF.