Shimla, Aug 14 (UNI) As many as 25 people died and 11 others were injured in separate incidents as heavy overnight rains triggered landslides and house collapse in Himachal Pradesh in past 24 hours.
While, 23 others are trapped under the debris.
In an incident, a massive landslide occurred on Monday morning at around 0700 hours on the Andadi road near Totu-Shimla railway line and hit a temple, where devotees had gathered for morning prayers.
The landslide struck the Shiv baudi area between Summerhill and Boilueganj and a number of people are feared trapped under the debris, police said.
In this incident, around 25-30 devotees are expected to be affected.
The State Disaster Response Force personnel extricated eight bodies from under the rubble and are engaged in rescue operation in an effort to remove 25 others who are feared trapped.
In another such incident, a landslide hit a suburb near Lal Kothi in Phagli, and many dharas (shanties) were flattened.
In this incident, five people died and many others were injured.
The sources in administration said that nine to 10 people were buried in the affected colony, out of which five bodies were recovered and injured were removed.
Rescue teams were trying to locate the bodies as six people may be under the debris.
The Chief Minister visited both the sites and supervised the rescue operations. He said that the government is trying to save the lives in all the incidents and has cancelled the Independence day function due to be held at Manali tomorrow (Tuesday).
In yet another rain-related incident, seven people, including four children, were buried alive and six others were injured, four of them seriously, following a cloudburst at Jadon village in Jadhana gram panchayat under Kunihar police station in Kandaghat sub-division in this district on Sunday night.
The deceased were identified Harnam Singh (38), his wife Khem Lata (34), their son Rahul (13), their daughter Neha (11), Kamal Kishore (38), his son Gaurav (9) and daughter Raksha (12).
Due to cloudburst, the mudslide has caused damage to residential buildings in the village. Also, many cattle heads were feared dead as cowsheds were washed away.
In an incident, CPI(M) leader Bhupinder Singh Prabhas Rana died while trying to rescue a family after their house collapsed in Taniyar village on Sunday night. He could not be taken to the hospital as the road connecting to the village was damaged due to rain.
Comrade Rana was a former Pradhan of Dharampur, Panchayat Samiti, and member and former president of SFI and CITU.
A report received from Kangra said around 75 people were trapped due to flood waters at Adwani stone crusher under Jawali sub-division of Kangra district, sources added.
