After causing massive damage in Himachal Pradesh in its last phase, the Southwest Monsoon finally withdrew from Himachal Pradesh.

Two spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall from August 13 to 14 and September 21 to 24 accompanied by snowfall in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district wreaked havoc in various parts of the state and threw normal life out of gear.

Kangra received the highest rainfall in Himachal Pradesh this monsoon season, the Meteorological Centre here said on Monday.  Himachal Pradesh suffered a loss of Rs. 1479.29 crores this monsoon, a state official said.

The state bore a loss Rs. 220.29 crores during heavy rains from September 21 to 24, whereas the rest of Rs. 1259 crores loss was incurred during August 13 and 14 rains as several roads, power and water supply had been damaged badly due to landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rains. About 40 persons also lost their lives during the monsoon, the official added.

Kangra district received 2122.8 mm rains from June 1 to September 30 which is 34 per cent more rain than normal, he added.

Apart from Kangra, seven other districts Shimla, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Solan and Una witnessed above normal rain this monsoon.  Una district experienced 1374.5 mm rain this monsoon, which is 59 percent more than normal, he said adding the entire Himachal received 917.4 mm rain which is 11 percent above normal.

Besides Shimla witnessed 807.1 mm rain, (27 per cent more than normal), Bilaspur 1210.8 mm, 38 per cent more than normal, Hamirpur 1388 mm, 29 per cent more than normal, Kullu 775.9, 49 per cent more than normal, Mandi 1353.3 mm (24 percent high than 1093.4 mm) and Solan experienced 1110.8 mm rain (11 percent high than normal 1000.1 mm).

However Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Kinnaur district received less than normal rain.  Lahaul and Spiti got just 263.4 mm rain as compared to normal 458.2 mm rain, which is less than 43 per cent.

Similarly, Chamba got just 872.7 mm rain, which is 38 per cent less than normal 1406.4 mm, whereas Kinnaur witnessed just 180 mm which is 32 percent less than normal 264.2 mm rain.  Sirmaur district received 1319.8 mm rainfall, which is almost same to normal 1324.6 mm rain, the official added.