14 Bodies Recovered from Debris in Summer Hill, SDM Expresses Concern for More Possible Victims

Shimla, Aug 16
Following a massive landslide on August 14th in the Summer Hill area of the state capital Shimla, rescue operations have been initiated by NDRF, SDRF, the Army, local police, and the Home Guard. According to SDM Shimla (Urban) Bhanu Gupta, 14 bodies have been recovered so far. Local sources suggest that there could be a total of 21 bodies, with 14 recovered in the past two days.

SDM Shimla mentioned that the search operation is ongoing, with teams from NDRF, SDRF, the Army, local police, and the Home Guard actively involved. If there are any positive updates regarding survivors, efforts will be made to rescue them effectively.

In the Summer Hill area, a family of seven members is also missing. Relatives are distressed due to lack of information about their whereabouts. These individuals were inside a temple during the landslide. However, the number of people affected by the landslide on the road and its exact scale is not known.

Local administration reported that during the landslide, a puja (worship) was being conducted in the Shiv Mandir. While most people went downhill with the debris, a team from NDRF, SDRF, and the local administration was sent to the canal to conduct search operations.

Meanwhile, Shimla Police has appealed to the public that if anyone from the Shimla and Summer Hill areas is missing after the Shivbadi Mandir incident, they should share the person’s name, address, mobile number, and complete information. They can inform the police station at Baluganj at 01772830193, the Shimla Police Control Room at 01772800100, or dial 112.

The landslide occurred around 7:15 AM due to heavy rains on Monday, during the monsoon season. A loud sound followed by a strong explosion resulted in a substantial amount of debris, including trees, falling on the temple. The temple was completely buried in the debris. Those who had reached the temple were unable to escape.