Shimla, Aug. 2 -- Relentless monsoon rains continue to batter Himachal Pradesh, pushing the human death toll to 179 and infrastructure disruption to grim levels.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), out of the total 179 people deaths, 101 deaths were directly caused by rain-related disasters such as landslides, flash floods, and lightning strikes, while 78 people were killed in road accidents exacerbated by treacherous weather and damaged roads.

Quoting the State Disaster Management Authority, "Himachal Pradesh has suffered widespread damage to life and public utilities due to severe monsoon activity between June 20 and August 2," the SDMA said in its latest situation report.

The SDMA confirmed severe disruption...