Himachal Pradesh is reeling under monsoon fury as incessant rains and landslides have wreaked havoc in the state. Several buildings have collapsed in Shimla due to landslides in several parts of the city. On Wednesday, the most expensive residential complex in Himland, a posh area in Shimla, has been hit by a landslide.
According to the information received, every flat was sold in this complex for Rs 1 to 1.5 crores. A landslide has hit near the hill on which this complex is built. Due to this, all the houses in the complex have been evacuated and this area has been declared as a "danger zone."
ALSO READ: Himachal will take a year to rebuild infrastructure wrecked by heavy rains: CM Sukhu
Houses collapsed in landslide
On Tuesday evening, at least eight houses, including six makeshift ones, were razed to the ground and a slaughterhouse was buried under debris in a landslide in Krishnanagar locality in Shimla. The uprooting of a large tree caused a landslip leading to the collapse of a cluster of houses with deafening noise.
Videos of people in nearby houses screaming and telling the inmates to leave immediately were circulated on social media. Heart-wrenching scenes of people calling for help and running for safety were witnessed at the site.
It will take a year to rebuild state: Himachal CM
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said it will take a year to rebuild the infrastructure wrecked by the heavy rains this monsoon but the state is up to the“mountain-like challenge." Speaking to the media, he said the estimated damage in the two devastating spells of heavy rain – this week and in July – is about Rs 10,000 crore.
The Chief Minister said it takes time to rebuild roads and water projects. But the government is speeding up the process. “We have to get the infrastructure fully restored within a year. I am working with this in mind. It’s a big challenge, a mountain-like challenge. But we are not going to back away,” he added.
It should be mentioned here that rains this week triggered landslides across the state, blocking roads and bringing down houses. Around 70 people have lost their lives, and more are feared buried under the rubble.
Flash floods in Himachal and Haryana
Due to excessive rainfall for the last few days over many districts of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, several houses have got damaged and a number of people are stranded at various places. A flash flood also hit in Kangra, Shimla, and Mandi districts of Himachal, and the Roopnagar district of Punjab. The NDRF teams, equipped with all necessary safety tools, are engaged in rescue and relief operations since August 14, 2023.
At present, 14 NDRF teams are conducting Search and Rescue (SAR) and flood water rescue (FWR) operations in these States along with other stakeholders.
NDRF teams on the toe
Keeping in mind the gravity of the situation, additional 15 NDRF teams are kept on standby in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand to tackle any unprecedented situation. So far, NDRF has rescued more than 960 victims and shifted 10,363 personnel to safer places in these affected States.
In view of the impending flood, 158 NDRF teams have already been deployed/pre-positioned across various vulnerable parts of the country for immediate response. A 24x7 NDRF control room is closely monitoring the situation.
