CHANDIGARH: The death toll in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh over the past week has reached 78. Meanwhile, one more body has been recovered from the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple in Shimla. A total of 24 people have died in the three major landslides in Shimla alone, 17 at the Shiv temple in Summer Hill, 5 in Fagli, and 2 in Krishnanagar, since Sunday night.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired d a high-level meeting with Cabinet colleagues, including Home Minister Amit Shah and defense minister Rajnath Singh at his residence on the prevailing disastrous situation in Himachal Pradesh.
BJP National president JP Nadda, PM Modi’s review, will be visiting his home state Himachal Pradesh on Sunday to take stock of the heavy damage inflicted by the recent floods and landslides.
Nadda will meet the families of some of those who lost their lives and will visit the ancient Shiva temple in Shimla destroyed by the landslide. The officer further said that in the rains that lashed the state in July, a report on the damage has been prepared.
The local Meteorological (MeT) office has issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rains on August 20 and 21, and a yellow alert for heavy rains on August 22 and 23. The MeT has also cautioned of a moderate to high risk of flash floods in Shimla, Sirmaur, and Chamba districts. Such heavy rainfall poses the threat of landslides, flash floods, and rising river levels, potentially damaging crops, fruit plants, and seedlings.
Owing to heavy rains, around 700 to 800 deodar trees in Shimla have fallen down, say forest department officials.
As the majority of the trees in the town are either middle-aged or mature with most being between 120 and 150 years old, the state government will have to take a call on the contentious issue of felling aged green trees in case they are unsafe or hamper regeneration. As of now, rules permit the felling of only dry and unsafe trees.