Shillong, August 16: Tragedy struck Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as incessant rains and landslides wreaked havoc, resulting in the unfortunate loss of 66 lives. The ongoing operations tirelessly aimed to rescue the injured and retrieve bodies from the debris caused by the collapse of houses in various locations.
The majority of the fatalities were reported from Himachal Pradesh, where Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu disclosed that 60 lives have been claimed since the torrential downpours began on August 13. Anticipating the continuation of severe weather, the meteorological office projected isolated yet intense rainfall over Himachal Pradesh in the upcoming two days and extended the forecast to include Uttarakhand for the following four days.
As per India Today, Tuesday saw the recovery of three bodies by dedicated rescue workers, each victim succumbing to the wrath of landslides. Among them, one body was extricated from the ruins of a fallen Shiva temple in Shimla, while a fresh landslide in the city claimed the lives of two individuals.
Krishnanagar locality in Shimla bore the brunt of disaster, with at least eight houses, including six makeshift structures, collapsing. In the wake of a landslide, a slaughterhouse was tragically buried under debris. The toll of lives lost continues to rise, with a total of 19 bodies having been recovered by Monday. This includes 12 at the Shiva temple site in Summer Hill, five in Fagli, and two in Krishnanagar. Concerns linger as more than 10 individuals remain feared trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed Shiva temple, which crumbled on Monday.
In response to the dire situation, authorities took precautionary measures, announcing the closure of all schools and colleges in the state on Wednesday due to the adverse weather conditions. The joint efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) resumed rescue operations in Summer Hill at dawn, after their temporary suspension amid heavy rainfall the previous night.
The weather office heightened vigilance by issuing an orange alert on Tuesday, with a subsequent yellow alert spanning the next four days until August 19.
In light of the catastrophic circumstances, Himachal Pradesh University took action to ensure the safety of its community, suspending teaching activities until August 19 due to the relentless downpours. Additionally, the university library will remain closed until August 20, prioritizing the well-being of students and staff amidst the ongoing natural disaster.