Shimla, Sept. 2 -- The Himachal Pradesh government declared the rain-battered entire state as "disaster affected" under Section 34 of the National Disaster Management Act, following widespread devastation caused by incessant monsoon rains, landslides and cloudbursts since June 20.

"Entire Himachal Pradesh has been declared a disaster-hit state and notification has been issued to declare the state as disaster-hit," announced chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the Himachal assembly on Monday in the wake of the widespread devastation faced by the state that has suffered Rs.3,056 crore losses so far.

He said that the withdrawal of this notification will be considered after the rains stop in the state.

Giving a statement in the assemb...