Shimla: A sombre hush blankets the once-vibrant residence of the Sharma family in the upscale Summer Hill enclave of Shimla. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded as the Shiv Bawadi temple, crumbled into devastation, claiming the lives of seven members of the Sharma family, including three innocent children. This heart-rending calamity occurred during a cloudburst on Monday, which tragically claimed a toll of at least 12 lives.
Pawan Sharma, a 60-year-old proprietor of Aman Electrics in the bustling Summer Hill market, along with his wife Santosh Sharma, 57, their son Aman Sharma, 32, daughter-in-law Archna Sharma, 27, and their three beloved granddaughters aged between 12 and 1.5 years were gathered at the temple for a religious ceremony (havan) when the disaster struck, obliterating the structure.
The aftermath has been a poignant race against time as rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), work tirelessly to recover the bodies. While four of the family members have been recovered, Pawan Sharma, Archna Sharma, and a 5-year-old child remain missing. Regrettably, the chances of finding survivors are fading as each moment passes.
The surviving members of the family are gripped by a profound sense of longing and sorrow. They yearn for the recovery of their loved ones’ remains, aspiring to provide them with a dignified farewell, a final tribute to their lives, including those of the tender children.
Yet, two bodies remain elusive, adding to the grief that pervades the family’s silent home. Their faces bear the unmistakable weight of the colossal tragedy they have endured. A woman within the family tearfully confided, “This pain will forever remain etched in my heart.”
In the midst of the tragedy, Pawan’s younger sister, who was absent from Shimla, received a harrowing phone call from a family member. This brief conversation painted a grim picture of the incident. To compound matters, access to Shimla had been hindered by road closures, intensifying the sense of isolation and despair.
The catastrophe extended beyond the Sharma family, as another landslide struck Fagli, claiming the lives of five individuals on the same fateful day. Amid the ruins of the Shiv Bawadi temple, amid the frantic searches, Karandeep Sharma, Pawan Sharma’s nephew and an IT professional based in Chandigarh, is among the desperate souls yearning for a glimpse of their loved ones.
The tragic toll continues to mount, with a total of 12 bodies recovered by the dedicated efforts of the SDRF and Army rescue teams, who were deployed with unwavering swiftness in the aftermath of the disaster.
Ilma Afroz, SDRF SP (Shimla), emphasized, “Our mission to rescue all those affected will persist relentlessly. Today, we have bolstered our manpower in this mission of hope and recovery.”
In the broader context of monsoon-related calamities in Himachal Pradesh, the death toll has surpassed 60, underscoring the profound impact of nature’s wrath. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu acknowledged the extensive toll on the state, both in terms of environmental damage and property loss, which is estimated at a staggering Rs 10,000 crore.
The severity of the situation further unfolded as over 800 individuals were evacuated from low-lying regions near Pong Dam in Kangra, where rising water levels in the reservoir rendered villages inaccessible.
In the wake of this monumental tragedy, Shimla and its surrounding areas stand united in grief, struggling to reconcile the loss of cherished lives amidst the fury of nature’s forces.
