More than 20 deaths: Rivers in spate due to rain, many houses and vehicles buried under debris
Shimla: Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh on Monday for more than 48 hours. More than 20 people have died in landslide incidents in Solan and Shimla. A mountain collapsed on a pagoda in Sarmhil, a suburb of Shimla, in which more than two dozen people were buried. So far nine people have been confirmed dead, while more than a dozen people are still buried under the debris. To get them out, relief work is going on on a war footing. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu himself also reached the spot.
The debris and huge stones that came from the hill erased the name of the temple in a few seconds. Everything turned to dust in a jiffy. There was chaos at the spot due to the landslide. Everyone was shocked to see the scene of devastation. After this painful incident, there was chaos on the spot. Police and administration teams reached the spot and started relief and rescue work. About two hours after the accident, the dead bodies of 9 people including two innocent children were removed.
According to the local people, on every Monday of the month of Shravan, there is a kheer bhandara in the Shiv Bawdi temple. In the midst of heavy rains, a large number of people had gathered at the temple since morning. Some were worshiping while some were busy cooking kheer. Unaware of the danger looming over their heads, the people were engrossed in devotion. Due to incessant rains there was a sudden landslide on the mountain above the temple. Because of this, suddenly a large part of the mountain came and fell on the temple. Only a few people present in the temple ran away after saving their lives and the rest got buried under the debris.
The Shiv Bawdi temple, which fell victim to the accident, is an ancient Shiva temple in Shimla. It is about one kilometer from the suburb Summerhill. There are residential colonies near the temple complex. Most of the people living in this area include teachers and students of Himachal Pradesh University. There are three Shivalingas, idols of Lord Rama, Krishna, Narayan, Durga Mata in the temple premises. Apart from this, there are five rooms for the priests to stay. The priests of Garhwal were worshiping here for many years. Havan and big religious events were also held in the temple premises. Due to the presence of a stepwell near this temple, this place was named Shib stepwell. In recent years, the temple committee had given a grand look to this temple.
CM Sukhu said on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), ‘Disturbing news has emerged from Shimla where Shiv Temple at Summer Hill collapsed due to heavy rains. So far nine bodies have been recovered. The local administration is working to clear the debris to rescue the people. om Shanti.’ In another post, he wrote, “Devastating rains triggered a landslide near Shiv Mandir in Summerhill area of Shimla, in which many people were buried under the debris.” Some people have died. I am present at the spot. All possible efforts are being made to save the people buried under the debris.
It has been raining heavily in Himachal Pradesh since Sunday. Many roads, including the Shimla-Chandigarh road, have been closed due to landslides. A major stretch of the Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh has been affected due to repeated landslides in the last two weeks, officials said. He said that a large number of heavy vehicles got stuck on both sides of the road at Chakki Mor near Koti in Solan on Sunday. Alternate routes are being opened for small vehicles.
WATCH | Shimla's Summer Hill area hit by landslide; few people feared dead, operation underway to rescue stranded persons
— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2023
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and state minister Vikramaditya Singh are on present on the spot pic.twitter.com/sjTLSG3qNB
#WATCH | River flowing in full spate along road to Prashar Lake in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/01MxFkRmC6
— ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2023
