CHANDIGARH: Seven people, including four members of a family, lost their lives and one person remains missing after a landslide struck two houses in Jangambag, located in the Sundernagar subdivision of Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh.
The deceased have been identified as 35-year-old Gurpreet Singh, his wife Bharti (30), their three-year-old daughter Kirat, Shanti Devi (70), and Surender Kaur (56). The sixth victim is an unidentified man who was passing by on a two-wheeler at the time of the incident.
Another individual, Rahil, who was also caught in the landslide along with his vehicle, remains missing. Search operations are continuing in an effort to locate him.
According to sources, the landslide occurred late last night, severely damaging two houses and trapping a passer-by. Three bodies were recovered shortly after the incident, and the death toll rose to six this morning after three more bodies were found during an ongoing search operation. One more person was confirmed to be dead in the afternoon, raising the total death toll to seven.
Rescue operations, conducted under floodlights throughout the night, are being carried out by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and local police. Despite challenging weather conditions, rescuers are working tirelessly to clear the debris and remove boulders.
As a precautionary measure, nearby houses have been evacuated due to concerns about further landslides, as the hillside remains unstable.
Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Apoorv Devgan, who is supervising the rescue efforts, stated that four JCB machines have been deployed, and breakers may be used if required to expedite the process. He added that one of the two adjacent houses has suffered partial damage. “The priority is to locate the missing individuals and ensure no further loss of life,” he said.
Superintendent of Police, Mandi, Sakshi Verma, noted that local residents reported hearing loud rumbling noises moments before the hillside collapsed, engulfing the nearby houses. “A rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident, and all six bodies have been recovered from the debris,” she confirmed.
Meanwhile, in Kullu district, a late-night landslide struck a residential area in inner Akhara Bazaar, damaging a house and leaving two persons feared trapped under the debris. One person managed to escape by jumping out of a window just minutes before the house was hit by mud and boulders. Rescue operations have been launched, but the two missing persons are yet to be located. The area has been cordoned off, and nearby residents have been advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure. Heavy downpour is hampering the rescue efforts.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Mandi, Kangra, Sirmaur, and Kinnaur districts, and a yellow alert for Una and Bilaspur districts.
Dozens of vehicles were damaged in Kinnaur district after being hit by stones that continued to fall on National Highway 5 between the stretch of Nathpa and Wangtu.
All government and private educational institutions, including coaching centres and nursing colleges, in Shimla, Kangra, and Sirmaur districts have been ordered to remain shut. The state government has advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert to the risk of landslides, particularly in hilly terrain and areas near rivers.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, as many as 1,155 roads, including seven National Highways, remain blocked due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. Of these, 282 are in Mandi, 234 in Shimla, 204 in Kullu, 137 in Sirmaur, 92 in Solan, 60 in Kangra, 48 in Lahaul and Spiti, and 37 each in Bilaspur and Una. Twelve roads are blocked in Hamirpur.
Additionally, 2,477 electricity distribution transformers and 720 water supply schemes have been disrupted, severely affecting power and water supply in many areas across the state.