Landslides in Shimla Claim Three Lives, Including Father and Daughter

Shimla, September 1 (Kiran News). Relentless heavy rainfall has once again wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, severely disrupting life across Shimla district over the past 20 hours. Continuous downpours have triggered multiple landslides and road closures, forcing many residents to remain indoors. Amid these conditions, two separate landslide incidents in the Junga and Kotkhai areas have resulted in the deaths of three people.

Tragedy in Junga: Father and Daughter Killed

A tragic accident occurred late Sunday night in Patwar Halka Dablun, under Junga tehsil. The house of Virendra Kumar (35), son of the late Jai Singh, was engulfed by a landslide, turning it into debris within moments. Virendra Kumar and his 10-year-old daughter died on the spot, while livestock tied inside the house were also killed. At the time of the incident, Virendra’s wife was outside the house and narrowly escaped, but she is devastated after losing her husband and daughter. The entire village is in mourning.

Elderly Woman Dies in Kotkhai Landslide

In a separate incident early Monday morning in the village of Chol, under Kotkhai subdivision, a landslide triggered by heavy rains caused a house to collapse. Kalawati, an elderly woman and wife of Shri Balam Singh, was buried under the debris. Despite the efforts of local residents to rescue her, she could not be saved.

Administration Responds with Relief Measures

Upon receiving news of both incidents, district administration and police teams reached the spots. The administration has assured speedy compensation from the disaster relief fund to the victims’ families. Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap stated that immediate relief is being provided to affected families.

The continuous rainfall has severely affected traffic movement in Shimla district, with several link roads closed and disruptions in electricity and water supply. For safety reasons, all educational institutions in Shimla and 10 other districts were ordered to remain closed on Monday.

Red Alert Issued for Heavy Rainfall

The Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in several districts of the state. Scientist Sandeep Sharma said that there is a strong possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, with chances of cloudburst incidents. People have been advised to stay away from riverbanks and landslide-prone areas.

Heavy Losses in Himachal’s Monsoon Season

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 320 people have lost their lives so far this monsoon season. Mandi has reported 51 deaths, Kangra 49, and Chamba 36. A total of 4,098 houses have been damaged, of which 844 have been completely destroyed. Mandi alone has seen damage to 1,592 houses. Additionally, 471 shops and 3,710 animal shelters have been destroyed. Total property loss has reached Rs 3,056 crore, including Rs 1,707 crore for the Public Works Department, Rs 1,070 crore for the Jal Shakti Department, and Rs 139 crore for the Energy Department. This monsoon, the state has witnessed 45 cloudbursts, 95 landslides, and 91 flash floods so far.