A Comprehensive Analysis of the 2023 Himalayan Disasters in Himachal Pradesh: Multi-Sectoral Impacts and Strategic Mitigation Approaches

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, JUIT, Waknaghat, Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India
² Department of Civil Engineering, JUIT, Waknaghat, Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India
³ Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, JUIT, Waknaghat, Solan 173234, Himachal Pradesh, India

^* Corresponding author: manishpaul806@gmail.com

Abstract

The Himalayan region, renowned for its remarkable beauty and ecological significance, has been subjected to a growing number of natural calamities; among the states most seriously affected is Himachal Pradesh. Three extremely strong monsoon seasons in 2023 had an especially negative impact on the state, causing extensive flooding and landslides. July 7th to July 11th was the first spell, August 11th to August 14th was the second spell, and August 21st to August 23rd was the last spell. A number of natural disasters, including flash floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and landslips, occurred in Himachal Pradesh as a result of the continuous and intense rains. The state administration claims that these incidents caused damage totaling about 12,000 crore rupees and claimed over 500 lives. This study paper's major goal is to highlight the thorough examination of disasters, covering a wide range of industries and sectors, including power, water and sanitation, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, housing, education, health, and road and transportation. Following is a discussion of each sector's mitigation strategies. The study also emphasizes how critical it is to launch targeted, coordinated actions at several levels in order to protect the Himalayan ecosystem.