At least 50 persons have died in landslides and flash floods triggered due to heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh since Sunday night, ANI reported.
In Shimla, at least nine persons were killed and about 20 are trapped under the debris after a temple collapsed in Summer Hill area following a landslide on Monday. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the toll is likely to increase from the tragedy.
“The local administration is diligently working to clear the debris in order to rescue individuals who may still be trapped,” Sukhu tweeted.
Five more bodies were retrieved from a rubble in Fagli area of Shimla, Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI.
In Solan district, seven were killed in Jadon village after two houses were washed away in a cloudburst on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said. The dead have been identified as Harnam (38), Kamal Kishore (35), Hemlata (34), Rahul (14), Neha (12), Golu (8) and Raksha (12).
The officials could rescue six persons trapped in the landslide.
Two children were killed in Balera panchayat of Solan as their makeshift house collapsed while a woman died in a landslide in Ramsheher tehsil area, reported PTI. The body of only one child has been recovered.
In Hamripur district, the police said that three people have died while two are missing.
In Mandi district’s Seghli panchayat, seven members of a family, including a two-year-old, were killed in a landslide late on Sunday night. Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said that the authorities managed to rescue three people.
A video shared by Sukhu showed flash floods in Sambhal village of Mandi district. Seven people have been swept away by the strong currents, the chief minister said.
Earlier on Monday, the weather department had issued a heavy rainfall alert for the next three to four hours in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur districts. However, later, the department predicted that heavy rainfall will continue till Tuesday.
Schools and colleges in all 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh were asked to remain shut on Monday.
Chief Minister Sukhu urged residents and tourists to stay indoors and avoid going to areas prone to landslides.
According to the state emergency operation centre, 752 roads are blocked due to the landslides, PTI reported. This includes the key Shimla-Chandigarh road.
Alaknanda, Mandakini and Ganga rivers are flowing above the danger level in Rudraprayag, Shrinagar and Devprayag, The Indian Express reported.
Heavy rainfall last month had also wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh and caused widespread destruction. It led to a loss of Rs 7020.28 crore, officials told ANI.
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