New Delhi: The destruction unleashed by sudden rains in Himachal Pradesh continues to grow. The death toll in the state mounted to 74, as of August 17, per news reports. Damages to people and property due to the rains this season since July have resulted in losses to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said.On Friday, August 18, the state government declared the rains a state calamity. On the same day, the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, announced financial assistance of Rs 11 crore to Himachal Pradesh.There may be no respite from the rains yet. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted isolated heavy rain in some parts of the state for the next five days.Losses all aroundSince Sunday, August 13, Himachal Pradesh has been witnessing heavy rains. As of August 17, 74 people lost their lives in the resulting impacts. Of these, 21 deaths occurred in the three major landslides in Shimla alone, including at the Shiva temple in Summer Hill, reported India Today. Eight people are still feared trapped under debris here, per the report. Over the last three days, 2,074 people have been evacuated from these areas, it added.On August 18, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel spoke over the phone with his Himachal Pradesh counterpart, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, reported PTI. Baghel said that his state would contribute financial assistance of Rs 11 crore to Himachal Pradesh to tackle the dire situation and help the victims and survivors. Per the report, Baghel, in a statement issued Friday, said that a severe natural calamity hit the “Devbhoomi” (land of gods) Himachal Pradesh and that the people of Chhattisgarh stand with the people of Himachal.CM Sukhu expressed gratitude to Baghel for the assistance and said that such financial help would make a substantial impact in providing relief to the disaster-hit families in this hour of calamity, per PTI. He said that the state has witnessed a loss of Rs 10,000 crore due to the heavy rains.He also said that a proper drainage and cross-drainage system would be made mandatory for all roads in the state, since its lack caused water seepage and cracks on the roads, causing huge damage.‘State calamity’On Friday, August 18, the state government declared the rains a state calamity. A notification by Himachal Pradesh’s Department of Revenue (Disaster Management) said that the state has witnessed “unprecedented loss of human lives and huge destruction, damage, and loss to public and private property during the ongoing monsoon season”. Incessant rains led to floods, cloudbursts, landslides, and slope failure and this took a heavy toll on both lives and property, it said. “Thousands of dwelling units have been damaged or destroyed. There has been an unprecedented loss of crops and agricultural land. Thousands of tourists and local people who were stranded had to be evacuated with the help of Indian Air Force, Army, NDRF, SDRE, Police, Home Guards, Fire Services and local volunteers. The national highways, state, district and local road network has been severely damaged and destroyed. Dozens of bridges have been washed away or damaged severely hampering connectivity and rescue efforts,” it read.Taking into account this “unprecedented grave situation leading [to] loss of human life and damage, destruction and loss to public infrastructure and private property”, the state government has decided to declare the whole state of Himachal Pradesh as a “Natural Calamity Affected Area”, the notification said.The Government of Himachal Pradesh has been providing all the necessary assistance for relief, rescue, and rehabilitation works throughout the state and to bring life of the people back to normalcy and mitigate the sufferings of the affected people, the notification read.More rain in the coming daysMore rain is expected in the days to come. On Friday, August 18, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a “ fresh wet spell of heavy rainfall” in the western Himalayan region from August 20 onward.It also wanted that light or moderate rainfall, and isolated heavy rainfall, are likely over parts of Uttarakhand during the next five days, over Himachal Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh on August 21 and 22, and over eastern Uttar Pradesh on August 18 and 22. Uttarakhand may also witness isolated very heavy rainfall on August 21 and 22, the statement also added.