Schools, colleges shut in Himachal Pradesh, death toll climbs to 57

Death toll in Himachal Pradesh rain fury rises to 57. 13 bodies recovered from Summer Hill, 5 from Fagli, 2 from Krishna Nagar. 10 feared buried in collapsed Shiv temple. 800 roads blocked, losses over ₹7,200 crore. CM urges Centre to declare national calamity, release ₹2,000 crore for restoration.

The death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh rose to 57 on Wednesday, August 16, 2023 with the body of a woman being pulled out of the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple near Summer Hill here, officials said.

Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla's Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Fagli.

"Rescue operations are going on in Summer Hill and Krishna Nagar areas and one body has been recovered from Summer Hill," Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi said.

He said so far 13 bodies have been recovered from Summer Hill, five bodies from Fagli and two from Krishna Nagar. Ten bodies are still feared buried in the debris of the Shiv temple that collapsed on Monday.

About 15 houses in Krishna Nagar have been vacated and the families have been shifted to safe places. Several others have vacated their homes themselves fearing slides due to incessant rains.

Two persons were killed and at least eight houses were razed to the ground and a slaughter house was buried under debris in a major landslide at Krishnanagar locality in the heart of Shimla city on Tuesday evening.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday that a nearly 157 per cent surge in rainfall over the past few days has resulted in extensive damage across Himachal Pradesh and about 60 people have been killed in the last three days.