A massive landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district today destroyed several houses. Visuals of the landslide show many multi-storeyed buildings collapsing, leaving behind a massive trail of dust and debris.
Emergency response teams, such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have been deployed to rescue those who are feared trapped in the landslide.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, warning of imminent heavy to very heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh for the next two days starting today.
"Disturbing visuals emerge from Anni, Kullu, depicting a massive commercial building collapsing amidst a devastating landslide. It's noteworthy that the administration had identified the risk and successfully evacuated the building two days prior," Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Disturbing visuals emerge from Anni, Kullu, depicting a massive commercial building collapsing amidst a devastating landslide.
It's noteworthy that the administration had identified the risk and successfully evacuated the building a two days prior. pic.twitter.com/LIWs5FPWle
— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) August 24, 2023Senior Himachal Pradesh police officer Sanjay Kundu told NDTV that there has been no loss of life and that as a precautionary measure, an evacuation drive was carried out prior to the landslide.
Several parts of the state continued to receive unrelenting rains, leaving residents to suffer the brunt of the severe weather conditions.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the damaged Kullu-Mandi Highway today after heavy rainfall in the district.
"The road connecting Kullu and Mandi has been damaged. An alternative route via Pandoh has also been damaged. Hence, the movement of traffic is suspended for now," senior Kullu police officer Sakshi Verma aid, as quoted by news agency ANI.
AdvertisementThe incessant rainfall has caused widespread devastation, with landslides, cloudbursts, and flash floods in the ecologically sensitive hill state. The state government had earlier declared the entire state "a natural calamity-affected area" and is working to assess the damage and provide relief to the affected people.
A total of 709 roads have been closed due to three major spells of heavy rain this monsoon season.
AdvertisementThe Himachal Pradesh government pegs the total damage to public infrastructure from the ongoing rain havoc at Rs 8,014.61 crore since June 24, when the monsoon arrived in the state.
According to state government data, 2,022 houses have been fully damaged and 9,615 partially damaged due to the unprecedented rain. The state has also reported 113 landslides, which have caused extensive damage to infrastructure and displaced thousands of people.
AdvertisementThe rain has claimed the lives of 224 people, with another 117 killed in rain-related accidents, a government bulletin said.
