51 people died due to heavy rains and landslides in Himachal. 25 to 30 people are feared buried under a landslide at Shiv Temple near Summerhill in Shimla town. Eight bodies have been removed from here. At the same time, 20 have died in Mandi district so far and five are missing. The Chief Minister also held an emergency meeting in Shimla regarding the natural calamity.
Heavy rains have again wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh. On Monday, 51 people died due to floods and landslides, while 56 people are missing. Property worth crores of rupees has also been damaged due to the rains since three days. The Shivwadi temple in Anthali was completely destroyed by the debris that came after a cloudburst near the Institute of Higher Studies at Summerhill in capital Shimla on Monday morning. By late evening, eight bodies have been recovered from the debris, six people have been injured, while according to eyewitnesses, 25 to 30 people are still buried under the debris.
18 people have died in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, 14 in capital Shimla, 11 in Solan, 3-3 in Kangra-Hamirpur, 1-1 in Chamba and Sirmaur. Cloudburst occurred at one place each in Shimla, Solan, Kangra and at two places in Mandi. 15 people are missing in Shimla, 3 in Mandi, two in Hamirpur and one in Sirmaur. Six people have been injured in Mandi. The state government has canceled all cultural programs to be held on Independence Day on August 15. The tricolor will be hoisted only ceremonially. The state received 357 percent more rainfall than normal on Sunday night. Eight National Highways and 621 roads have been closed in the state. 250 tourists are stranded on Parashar Road in Mandi. Getting them out safely has become a challenge. Even in Shimla, tourists are imprisoned in hotels.
20 people died in Mandi
On the other hand, in Mandi district, 20 people have died due to being buried under the debris caused by cloudburst, floods and landslides. Seven members of the same family have died and five people are missing in Chalahar village of Segali Panchayat of Drang assembly constituency.
CM Sukhwinder Sukhu reached the spot
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu reached the spot after receiving information about the accident at Shiv Mandir in Anthali, Summerhill of capital Shimla. The administration and police officials stopped the Chief Minister from going ahead to take stock of the relief work, but the Chief Minister reached the spot where the SDRF personnel were carrying out the relief work.
