Video Producer/Editor: Vishnu Gopinath
Himachal Pradesh's tourist town saw another landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the region.
The latest: Four to eight houses were swept away by a landslide in Shimla's Krishna Nagar area early on Wednesday, 16 August, according to a report by PTI.
The rubble included a few makeshift houses as well as a slaughterhouse.
Loss of lives: At least two people are reportedly dead due to the landslide while several more are trapped under the debris, as per the report.
On site: Rescue efforts are being made by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Shimla Police.
Why it matters: Heavy rainfall and cloudburst have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh over the past week, with the chief minister of the state estimating the total death toll to be 60.
What CM says: About 35 people had been evacuated from their houses. I would urge everyone to vacate their houses if they notice any cracks. The administration will ensure food and lodging for them, and we will also give money to rebuild damaged houses," CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"We have held a meeting this evening. All educational institutes will stay shut tomorrow. We also discussed structural norms and drainage for roads. There has been a lot of damage because of the rain. Restoration will take time, but it will be done on a war footing," he added.
Of note: “I believe that the construction in Shimla and the mismanagement of the drainage system in the houses led to weakening of the hills," the chief minister told PTI.
Rain check: Himachal Pradesh is expected to witness isolated heavy rainfall over the next two days due to a fresh spell of western disturbance, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
"The location of the monsoon trough lies along the foothills of the Himalayas and hence the south-westerly Arabian Sea monsoonal winds are hitting the Himalayan foothills," the IMD reportedly said.
Next door: The neighbouring state of Uttarakhand has also received intense downpour, leading to landslides along the Rishikesh-Neelkanth Mahadev Temple route and a bridge collapse in Rudraprayag.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the heavy rainfall in the hill states may stretch to Delhi as the Yamuna River crossed the danger mark (205.33 metres) on Tuesday, according to authorities.
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