New Delhi: The toll of casualties resulting from the relentless monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh has surged to 74, as emergency responders recovered another body from the debris of a Shiva temple in Shimla, while an additional two lives were lost in Chamba. Among the fatalities, twenty-one individuals succumbed to three significant landslides in Shimla, including the tragic one at the Summer Hill Shiva temple.
The state has borne the brunt of 113 landslides during the span of 55 days since the commencement of the monsoon season, causing financial havoc with Rs 2,491 crore in losses for the Public Works Department (PWD) and an additional Rs 1,000 crore for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In the vicinity of Summer Hill in Shimla, a section of the railway tracks has been ravaged, leaving a suspended trail.
Expressing the enormity of the task at hand, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu likened the rebuilding of the infrastructure, shattered by the recent landslides, to a “formidable mountain challenge.”
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Search & rescue operation underway at the landslide-affected areas of Shimla.
(Visuals from Summer Hill Area) pic.twitter.com/aOjTfpHjmA
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2023
Experts emphasize that the recurring landslides are primarily attributed to haphazard constructions in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region, depletion of forest cover, and structures that obstruct water flow near waterways.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts moderate rainfall accompanied by thunder at a few locations, alongside intermittent heavy rainfall in isolated areas encompassing Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Chamba, and adjacent zones. The state encountered continuous heavy rainfall for three successive days, starting from Sunday. Subsequently, precipitation waned after Tuesday, with sporadic light showers observed on Thursday.
Since the inception of the monsoon on June 24, a staggering 217 individuals have lost their lives due to rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh.
The catastrophic deluge in Himachal Pradesh has not only decimated infrastructure but has also uprooted entire families. The tragic case of a family of seven, spanning three generations, wiped out in the Shimla temple landslide underscores the grim reality. The collapse of the Shiva temple coincided with the presence of seven family members, including three children, within its premises, according to official reports.
Beyond accounts of personal grief, the economic livelihoods of thousands have been severely crippled in the rain-ravaged state. The estimated Rs 10,000 crore worth of damage across Himachal Pradesh falls short of portraying the genuine magnitude of the disaster, which has wrought a ruinous impact on both individuals and enterprises.
The pillars of the state’s economy, namely tourism and the apple trade, have been hit hardest. Taxi drivers, who typically earned Rs 2,000 per day, now grapple with earnings as low as Rs 200. Likewise, occupancy rates in hotels and guesthouses, which typically ranged from 50% to 60%, have plummeted to a mere 5%.
