Shimla landslide: Two killed, eight houses collapsed in Krishna Nagar area after rain

Two persons were killed, eight houses collapsed and and a slaughterhouse was buried under the debris following a landslide in Krishnanagar locality in Shimla on Tuesday. Several were evacuated, PTI reported.

"Due to excessive rainfall, some houses have collapsed after a landslide took place. Some residents are feared trapped. Ambulance, NDRF, SDRF, State and District Police are here at the spot. The amount of loss is yet to be ascertained. Rescue operation is underway" Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi said.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reached Krishna Nagar of Shimla for spot inspection

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said “Two people have lost their lives in the incident. A total of 60 people have died in the state so far due to incessant rainfall. Educational Instituted will be closed tomorrow. Bodies are being recovered in the Summer Hill area as well. I request people to vacate their houses if any crack is developed.”

Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi says “Our primary focus is to rescue more and more people. One casualty has been reported so far. All agencies are working to rescue people. Around 10-15 houses have been vacated and shifted to safe places. Loss of property is yet to be ascertaine."

Local Councillor and eyewitness Bittu Panna says “We noticed some cracks in the houses, others also gathered at the spot. We saw that the cracks were increasing and requested the residents to vacate their houses. Suddenly we saw several houses collapse. Nearly 20-25 houses have been vacated and around 50 people have been rescued. and shifted to safe places”

Meanwhile, two more bodies were pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed Shiv temple in Shimla today. Rescuers feared 10 more bodies are still trapped there as the death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh since Sunday night rose to 53, PTI reported quoting officials.

The number of deaths in the twin landslide sites in Shimla's Summer Hill and Fagli has risen to 16, the officials said.

Heavy rains battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides and cloudbursts that blocked several roads and led to house collapse incidents.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army along with police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) resumed rescue operations at Summer Hill around 6 am, Deputy Commissioner of Shimla Aditya Negi told PTI.

According to the state emergency operation centre, the state has suffered losses to the tune of ₹7,171 crore since the onset of monsoon on June 24 till August 14.

A total of 170 incidents of cloudburst and landslide have been reported in the state this monsoon season and about 9,600 houses damaged.