Shimla: A landslide in the Krishnanagar neighbourhood of this city on Tuesday night destroyed at least eight homes, including six makeshift ones, and buried a slaughterhouse under debris. According to officials, there are fears that two people are trapped beneath the destroyed homes.
The fall of a row of houses was accompanied by a deafening roar and was triggered by the uprooting of a giant tree, which also produced a landslide. Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi stated that at least two people are believed to be trapped and the potential of more people being inside is not completely ruled out.
Cracks had developed in some houses in the morning following which most of the residents vacated them, the officials said.
Local councillor Bittu Panna said at least two persons who were inside the slaughterhouse are feared trapped under the debris.
Videos of people in nearby houses screaming and telling the inmates to leave immediately were circulated on social media. Heart-wrenching scenes of people calling for help and running for safety were witnessed at the site. As the police, State Disaster Response Force and locals started rescue operations, several residents in the nearby houses ran out with their belongings. "My husband is trapped in the debris," a wailing woman who rushed to the spot after hearing the loud sound of the slide said. Atma Ram, an employee of the slaughterhouse, said that his manager is feared trapped under the debris. At the time of construction of this slaughterhouse, there were slides and houses were vacated. Even after the construction of retaining walls, there was seepage; the problem persisted, an eyewitness of the incident, Amit said. He said that at least 15 families have been rendered homeless after the incident.
On Monday, two landslides took place in Shimla, one at a Shiva temple in Summer Hill and the other at Fagli, which claimed 16 lives.
Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides and cloudbursts that blocked several roads and led to house collapse incidents.
With PTI inputs