Shimla Landslide: 20 Feared Buried In Two Separate Incidents, Rescue Operations Underway

Around 20 people are feared buried in two separate incidents of landslide in Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.

Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi confirmed on Monday that a rescue operation is currently underway to free those trapped under the debris.

According to Negi, who was quoted by the news agency PTI, approximately 15 to 20 individuals are believed to be buried in the landslides that occurred in Shimla.

Rescue operations are still ongoing to locate and save the trapped victims.

In Jadon village, Solan, a cloudburst caused the tragic death of seven members of a family, as confirmed by local police officials.

The sudden and intense release of rainwater resulted in the destruction of two houses and a cowshed, which were washed away.

Additionally, three individuals are currently reported as missing, while five people have been successfully rescued from the aftermath of this disaster.

According to Siddhartha Acharya, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kandaghat, "Five people died, three are missing, and five were rescued after a cloudburst occurred in Jadon village of Kandaghat subdivision in Solan".

The continuous heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours have triggered landslides, causing widespread damage and road closures.

Due to the weather conditions, the Shimla-Chandigarh road has been closed for buses and trucks.

A temple in Shimla has been struck by landslides, raising concerns about the safety of nearby buildings.

According to Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, this incident has left several people stranded.

In light of the continuous rainfall, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced the closure of all schools and colleges in the state from 13 to 14 August.

The Himachal Chief Minister's Office (CMO) expressed deep sorrow upon learning about the tragic cloud burst incident at Village Jadon, Dhawla Sub-Tehsil in Solan District.

This incident has resulted in the loss of seven lives, and the CMO extended heartfelt condolences to the grieving families.

The ongoing landslides have caused damage to agricultural land and homes in villages like Ghomu and Jawali in the Sarkaghat area of Mandi district. Mandi Superintendent of Police Soumya Sambsivan, who visited the affected areas, reported this information to PTI.

Since the monsoon began on 24 June, Himachal Pradesh has experienced severe damage and losses totalling Rs 7,020 crore ($945 million).

This includes 257 deaths caused by rain-related incidents and road accidents.