Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, August 19
Panic spread in Shimla late on Monday night after a landslide struck near Ramchandra Chowk in the Benmore area, blocking the main road and threatening nearby homes. The officials immediately launched rescue and relief operations, shifting around 35 to 40 residents to safer places as debris continued to slide downhill. The sudden collapse sparked chaos in the locality, with fears of further damage lingering. Leader of Opposition and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur rushed to the site to take stock of the situation. He noted that a retaining wall built only last year had given way, putting both the hillside above and the road below at risk.
“Officials from the Public Works Department and other agencies are present, but damage is being reported from across the state due to incessant rain. The government must act in advance and ensure proper preparedness,” he said.
The road remains blocked as officials monitor the area and assess the stability of surrounding structures. Meanwhile, the incident has once again highlighted the growing impact of heavy monsoon rains on Himachal Pradesh’s fragile hill infrastructure.
