Himalayan State Battered With Heavy Rains; Landslides Kill More Than 60, At Least 800 Evacuated

More than 60 individuals were killed following the heavy rains that caused massive landslides and floods in India's Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh.

According to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, more than 800 individuals were also evacuated from the low-lying areas that are situate near the Beas River.

"More than 800 people were evacuated from the low-lying areas of Kangra near the Pong Dam, as their villages became inaccessible due to the elevated water level in the dam reservoir," Sukhu said.

"Evacuation operation is still on as more people are being evacuated," he added.

Sukhu noted that there has been a 157% increase in the amount of rainfall in the past week, which later resulted in massive destruction across the state.

Fatalities

Authorities said that most of the fatalities were reported in Shimla, an area that is considered as a tourist town in Himachal Pradesh. Of the total number of deaths, at least 12 individuals were killed following the collapse of a Hindu temple in the state capital.

Many victims could still be trapped beneath the rubble, officials feared.

Sukhu had supervised the search and rescue operations following the tragic landslide near Shiv Temple in Summerhill, Shimla.

The Indian official underscored that the highest priority would be the efforts to save lives, adding that the government remains dedicated in securing the safety and well-being of those entrapped in the destruction.

"My sincerest prayers are extended for the safety and recovery of all individuals impacted by this catastrophic occurrence triggered by intense rainfall," Sukhu said.

Climate change

It is known that landslides and floods have been common and can cause massive damage during monsoon season in India.

However, scientists warned that due to the climate change, this phenomenon has rapidly increased so as its severity and frequency.

Due to the catastrophic weather event, thousands of individuals have been stranded due to road closures as well as disruptions in power lines and communication networks.

Further, railway lines were seen dangling in midair after the ground beneath them was washed away by the strong current.

On the other hand, schools and other educational institutions were ordered close to save and facilitate the transfer of people in danger to evacuation shelters and facilities.

Sukhu had said the incident could be considered as the worst to hit Himachal Pradesh in the past 50 years.

In the past days, Himachal Pradesh had witnessed significant rainfall as Gohar in Mandi district recorded 139.0 mm, followed closely by Sujanpur Tira in Hamirpur with 133.0 mm, according to the India Meterological Department.

Just last month, record monsoon rainfalls also killed more than 100 people over two weeks in some areas of northern India, including Himachal Pradesh. Officials said this was the worst monsoon the country has experienced in decades.

Experts said that the heavy rains and flash floods have shown the important impacts of climate change on monsoon.

This year's monsoon rains in India had brought significantly higher levels of rainfall in Delhi, Punjab and Himachal, with the regions seeing a spike of 112 percent, 100 percent and 70 percent, respectively.

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