Auhona Roy Chowdhury, Pune
A massive landslide hit the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh today, resulting in the collapse of numerous houses. It took place in the market area of Anni, which is a town 76 kilometers from the district headquarters. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert, cautioning about upcoming heavy to very heavy rainfall in the state for the next two days.
The landslide caused significant destruction, with visuals showing multi-story buildings collapsing and leaving behind extensive dust and debris. Emergency response teams like the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been dispatched to rescue individuals possibly trapped by the landslide.
The IMD had already issued a red alert, anticipating substantial rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, which began today. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu shared on a social platform that a large commercial building had collapsed due to the landslide, highlighting that authorities had successfully evacuated the structure two days earlier.
Senior police officer Sanjay Kundu confirmed that no lives were lost, and a precautionary evacuation was conducted prior to the landslide. Unrelenting rains have been affecting various parts of the state, subjecting residents to severe weather conditions.
Following heavy rainfall, the Kullu-Mandi Highway sustained damage, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. A senior police officer noted that both the direct road between Kullu and Mandi and an alternative route via Pandoh were affected, resulting in the suspension of traffic movement.
Due to three major instances of heavy rain this monsoon season, approximately 709 roads have been closed. The estimated cost of damage to public infrastructure caused by the ongoing rain havoc since the monsoon’s arrival on June 24 is Rs 8,014.61 crore, as stated by the Himachal Pradesh government.
State government data reveals that the unprecedented rain resulted in 2,022 fully damaged houses and 9,615 partially damaged ones. Additionally, 113 landslides were reported, causing extensive harm to infrastructure and displacing numerous residents.
The rain-related casualties include 224 lives lost directly due to the rain and 117 attributed to rain-related accidents, according to a government bulletin.