Shimla, July 9 -- The devastating monsoon season in Himachal Pradesh has claimed 85 lives so far, with 54 deaths directly linked to rain-related disasters and 31 others lost to road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

In its cumulative loss report, the SDMA confirmed that natural calamities such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning incidents have been responsible for the bulk of the fatalities. Mandi district remains the worst-hit, reporting 17 deaths from rain-related causes.

As per the SDMA, other severely affected districts include Kangra (11), Hamirpur (5), and Kullu, Chamba, Shimla, Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, and Kinnaur with lower but significant numbers.

The SDMA has also record...