Landslides wreak havoc in Shimla, 25 shifted to safer places

At least one person was injured while 25 persons others were shifted from their houses after multiple landslides triggered by torrential rain wreaked havoc in Shimla today. However, no casualty was reported in the incidents.

According to reports, one person was injured after the makeshift house he was living in near Lakkar Bazaar in Shimla was damaged due to a landslide. He was rushed to the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital.

Also, around 11 families residing near Chaura Maidan were shifted to the Panchayat Bhawan, as their residences faced a serious threat due to landslides and heavy rainfall. Additionally, several vehicles parked on the roadside were damaged due to landslides in Himland, near Bishop Cotton School and in the Tutikandi area of Shimla.

Several roads in the city were blocked in the morning, leading to long queues of vehicles. As a result, students and office goers faced a lot of inconvenience as they were caught in traffic for hours. Many persons chose to walk towards their destinations. Residential areas in the Panthaghati locality of Shimla were also rendered vulnerable due to a landslide during the evening.

SDM, Shimla (Urban), Oshin Sharma said that teams of the district administration, police and other departments concerned reached the Lakkar Bazaar area after receiving information about the landslide and rescued the injured person. They also engaged in road restoration work.

“Machinery was deployed at the site for clearing debris from the road, which was opened for traffic movement after a few hours. Several trees that were uprooted due to the landslide were also removed while a few trees hanging dangerously were axed,” she added.

The SDM said that tarpaulins were provided to protect buildings near landslide-affected areas in Panthaghati to prevent further damage. She added that the total loss suffered in these incidents was being assessed and relief was being provided to the affected persons.