Around five to seven houses collapsed in Shimla on Tuesday following a fresh landslide as heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh. It is not immediately known whether anybody has been trapped in the debris.
Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi said a hill collapsed in the Krishna Nagar area, leading to the collapse of houses.
At least 54 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the state over the past three days. The 77th Independence Day was a low-key affair in the state on Tuesday with the traditional cultural programmes missing from official and district-level functions as the state mourns the deaths and destruction caused by incessant rains.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hoisted the tricolour and inspected the parade in Shimla.
“Around 55 people have lost their lives in the state till now. The death toll might go up. Restoration work is being done on a war footing. Chandigarh-Shimla 4-lane highway along with other arterial roads has been opened," Sukhu said, adding that Solan, Shimla, Mandi and Hamirpur are among the worst affected districts.
The chief minister visited Jadon village in Solan district where which suffered heavy loss of life and property due to a cloudburst.
The Himachal Pradesh University has suspended teaching activities till August 19 in view of the torrential rains triggering landslides and blocking roads. The University library would also remain closed till August 20.
Meanwhile, two more bodies were pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed Shiv temple in Shimla on Tuesday and rescuers feared 10 more bodies are still trapped there. A total of 16 bodies have been recovered from the site since Monday.
According to the state emergency operation centre, the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 7,171 crore since the onset of monsoon on June 24 till August 14.
