Death toll rises to 74 in Himachal Pradesh
Two more death bodies have been recovered in Chamba District
Due to the Monsoon season the death toll in rain-hit Himachal Pradesh has risen to 74, with another body found in the debris of a Shiva temple stated officials on August 17. Among these deaths, 21 occurred due to major landslides in Shimla, including the Shiva temple in Summer Hill, Fagli, and Krishnanagar. There are concerns about eight individuals still potentially buried under the temple wreckage.
In Shimla’s Summer Hill landslide, the body of P. L. Sharma, the head of the Mathematics department at Himachal Pradesh University, was recovered on August 16 said Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi as reported by PTI. Two more rain-related deaths were reported in Chamba district where a person fell from a height and another drowned, bringing the four-day death count to 74, as reported by the state emergency operation centre.
Over the past three days, heavy rains have given way to lighter showers in some places. Since the monsoon began on June 24, 217 people have lost their lives due to rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh.
Efforts is being conducted at landslide sites in Shimla. Rescue operations have been conducted by the Indian Army, Air Force, and other personnel, evacuating 309 people from flood-affected areas in Kangra district’s Fatehpur and Pong Dam in Indora. In total, 2,074 individuals have been rescued over the past three days.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited flood-affected regions, reassuring residents of the government’s full support. The monsoon season’s losses have reached around 7,500 crore, according to the Principal Secretary (Revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma.