Shimla, Sept. 13 -- Himachal Pradesh continues to grapple with a battered infrastructure and mounting human losses as the relentless monsoon takes its toll. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Saturday reported that 574 roads remain blocked, 389 power transformers disrupted, and 333 drinking water supply schemes damaged across the state.

According to the SDMA's evening public utility report, the overall death toll has climbed to 394 since June 20, when the monsoon set in. Of these fatalities, 221 people have died in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, and house collapses, while 173 lives were lost in road accidents triggered by slippery conditions and damaged highways.

The disruption has crippled conne...