Himachal Pradesh: Nature’s wrath claims 57 lives, Institutes to remain shut

Himachal Pradesh: Two days after the Shiv temple near Summer Hill collapsed due to incessant rainfall in the state, one more body has been recovered on Wednesday out of the debris, taking the death toll to 13, according to officials. However, the total death toll in Himachal Pradesh climbed to 57.

The extremely heavy rainfall has battered the state since Sunday, triggering landslides, flash floods and cloudburst in several districts of Himachal Pradesh including Shimla’s Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Fagli.

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Informing about the rescue operation, Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi said, “The rescue operations are going on in the tragedy hit areas such as Summer Hill and Krishna Nagar. One more body has been recovered from Summer Hill.”

The count of recovered bodies stands at 13 from Summer Hill, 5 from Fagli, and 2 from Krishna Nagar, while the apprehension of 10 more bodies being buried in the debris of the collapsed Shiv temple prevails.

In the midst of incessant rainfall, the aftermath continues to unfold with about 15 houses in Krishna Nagar being evacuated as a precautionary measure. The torrential rains have triggered fears of landslides, prompting several families to voluntarily vacate their homes.

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Tragedy struck on Tuesday evening when a massive landslide wreaked havoc in the Krishnanagar locality of Shimla city, claiming two lives, reducing eight houses to rubble, and burying a slaughterhouse under debris.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed the dire situation, attributing the extensive damage across Himachal Pradesh to a staggering 157% surge in rainfall over recent days. The toll over the past three days has tragically claimed around 60 lives.

In response to the inclement weather conditions, the Education department mandated the closure of all schools and colleges in the state on Wednesday, while Himachal Pradesh University suspended teaching activities until August 19.

With nearly 800 roads obstructed in the state and estimated losses exceeding Rs 7,200 crore since the onset of monsoon on June 24, the region grapples with immense challenges.

In July, the state experienced another wave of devastation due to heavy rains, particularly impacting Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla, resulting in loss of life and significant destruction of property.

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Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has appealed to the central government to declare a national calamity in Himachal Pradesh and allocate Rs 2,000 crore for the purpose of restoration and recovery efforts.

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