AT LEAST 30 people have died after heavy rain has triggered floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh, India.
Among the victims, nine were buried under the debris of a temple, while another landslip in Shimla claimed additional lives.
ReutersAt least 30 people have died following landslides in India’s Himalayan region[/caption]
AFPHomes in the Fagli area of Shimla were engulfed by mud and slush[/caption]
EPAThe Chief Minister has urged tourists to stay away from the area[/caption]
The deadly events were accompanied by landslides that blocked vital roads and caused the collapse of numerous houses in the region.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, confirmed the retrieval of nine bodies from the ruins of a revered Shiv temple situated in the Summer Hill area.
Sukhu also urged people to relocate from areas susceptible to landslides, and requested tourists to refrain from visiting the state during this critical period.
The Fagli area of Shimla witnessed another disaster, as several homes were engulfed by mud and slush.
It is also feared that up to 15 individuals remain trapped at these two sites.
In the Solan district, seven members of a single family died following the devastating natural disaster.
They were identified as Kamal Kishore, 35, Hemlata, 34, Harnam, 38, Rahul, 14, Neha, 2, Raksha, 2 and Golu, 8, said Gaurav Singh, the Superintendent of Police in the district.
Sukhu paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the landslide and extended his support to the affected families in a tweet.
“Devastated to hear about the loss of 7 precious lives in the tragic cloudburst incident at Village Jadon, Dhawla Sub-Tehsil in Solan District.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving families. We share in your pain and sorrow during this difficult time,” he wrote.
The sheer force of the disaster washed away two houses in Solan during Sunday.
But while six people were able to get rescued, seven others tragically succumbed to their fate in the village of Jadon.
AFPIn the Solan district, seven members of a single family died following the devastating natural disaster[/caption]