Six killed after landslide bury 2 houses in Himachal Pradesh; rescue op continues

Shimla: Six people, comprising four of a family, were killed after a landslide buried two houses in Sundernagar town in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, police said on Wednesday.

Rescuers found five bodies under the debris. The deceased have been identified as Gurpreet Singh (35), his daughter Kirat (three), his wife Bharti (30), Shanti Devi (70), and Surender Kaur (56).

The sixth victim, who was passing through the disaster spot on a scooter at the time of the landslide, is missing.

Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan told the media that rescuers from the police, State Disaster Response Force, and National Disaster Response Force are working to clear the debris.

“Four JCB machines have been deployed for the operation. As a precautionary measure, two adjacent houses have been evacuated, one of which sustained partial damage.”

He said the priority is to locate the missing and ensure no further loss of life. Continuous rainfall and mudslides have made the rescue and search operation challenging.

Meanwhile, all educational institutions in the Sundernagar subdivision will be closed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure for safety.

Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma said residents heard loud rumbling noises moments before the hillside collapsed.

Expressing condolences, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the news of the death of three people due to a landslide in Sundernagar, Mandi district, is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching.

“There is a possibility that two other people are trapped under the debris, and their search is ongoing at a war footing. In this accident, two houses have also been destroyed,” he wrote on X.

“The administration is present at the scene, and rescue operations are being carried out swiftly. A detailed report of the incident has also been sought from the district administration.”

“My deepest condolences are with the grief-stricken families. May God grant peace to the souls of the departed and provide strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense sorrow,” he added.

IANS