Watch | Heavy rains leave part of Kalka-Shimla railway track hanging after landslide erodes ground beneath

A segment of the Kalka-Shimla railway track, situated between Joyogh and Summer Hill railway stationin the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, was left suspended in mid-air due to a landslide, induced by heavy rains.The soil beneath the track was eroded away by the force of the landslide, causing disruption and raising safety concerns.

Consequently, train services between Kandaghat and Shimla have been cancelled, with the state governmentinforming the public of the situation.

A photograph of the critical site was shared on X (previously known as Twitter) by ANI, capturing the precarious state of the railway track.

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#WATCH | Soil underneath Kalka-Shimla railway line washed away following heavy rainfall in the area#HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/0UHvMDcnRw — ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2023

Temple collapse and lives lost

Earlier on Monday (August 14), Shimla experienced another calamity as a temple collapsed, the result of a landslide triggered by unceasing rains.

This tragic incident led to the loss of nine lives, and fears of additional casualties rose as several people were believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

The relentless rainfall has taken a severe toll on Himachal Pradesh, with a total of 29 lives lost in rain-related incidents across the state. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed the gravity of the situation, attributing the tragedies to the continuous downpour over the preceding 48 hours.

Rescue efforts and caution amidst desolation

Chief Minister Sukhu, accompanied by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, conducted thorough inspections of various landslide-affected areas within Shimla.

Recognising the severity of the situation, the state government took the decision to refrain from organising cultural programmeson Independence Day, instead focusing efforts on rescue and relief operations.

Over 50 lives have been claimed by the relentless rains in the past 24 hours, with more than 20 people still trapped, and the death toll possibly escalating further as rescue operations continue.

Also watch |India: Heavy rains batter Himachal Pradesh, CM Sukhu visits disaster-hit Solan's Jadon

The grim consequences of the ongoing natural disasters extended beyond Shimla, with more than a dozen individuals losing their lives. Tragedies unfolded in different districts, including seven fatalities in Solan district and an additional seven in Mandi district. The scale of devastation highlights the broad impact of the weather-related crises.

Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, expressed condolences to the bereaved families through X. He conveyed the distress caused by the loss of lives due to heavy rains and landslides across various locations in Himachal Pradesh. Shah emphasised the involvement of NDRF teams in relief and rescue operations, collaborating closely with local administrations to mitigate the suffering caused by the devastating natural events.

(With inputs from agencies)

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