[Watch] Another Landslide In Himachal’s Kullu, Several Feared Trapped - India Bytes

New Delhi: Several houses in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district caved in due to rain-triggered landslides. In a fresh rain-related incident, a massive landslide on Thursday in Kullu’s Anni area led to multiple buildings collapsing. Hundreds of vehicles, meanwhile, are stranded in a 10-km long traffic jam in Kullu district after the road connecting with Mandi got damaged due to rainfall.

Around 8-9 buildings have collapsed near the new bus stand in Anni town of Kullu district. There is no known loss of life at the moment. Notices were issued by the administration to vacate the building about a week ago. Visuals of the buildings collapsing show structures coming down to dust one by one.

Kullu SP Sakshi Verma on Wednesday said, “Due to the rainfall both the roads connecting Kullu district to Mandi have been damaged. The alternative route via Pandoh is also damaged and PWD is trying to clear the road.”

As many as 120 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state this month so far while a total of 238 people have died and 40 are still missing since the onset of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 24.

A total of 709 roads in the state are now shut following three major spells of heavy rains this Monsoon that has left a trail of death and destruction. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appealed to the people to remain vigilant in view of the heavy rain forecast.

All schools and colleges were declared closed for two days, beginning Wednesday, in Shimla, Mandi and Solan districts.

Shimla is one of the worst-hit towns. Landslides, damage to buildings, uprooted trees blocking the main cart road, the lifeline of the town as well as the Shimla-Mehli bypass at several points, have brought the town to a standstill. Many houses have also developed cracks and people have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Cracks have reportedly developed in some houses in Shimla, prompting evacuations in Panthaghati and Sanjauli areas of the city, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi said. Several people in Shimla have left their houses and moved to other places fearing danger.