Four trees collapse on houses in Shimla amid heavy rain, no casualties reported

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Shimla, July 22

Continuous heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has triggered another rain-related incident in the state capital, where four trees collapsed on residential houses near the Old Barrier in Tutikandi Ward on Wednesday morning, damaging tin roofs and parts of the structures. No casualties were reported as the occupants managed to evacuate their homes in time.

The incident occurred around 7 am near the 12-House Line in Tutikandi Ward. One of the affected residents, Jasveer Kaur, said a tree fell directly onto her house, causing extensive damage to the roof and the building. She said all family members came out safely before the tree collapsed, preventing a major tragedy.

Residents alleged that water flowing from a hotel and the Motor Barrier area above had been draining toward their homes for a long time. They claimed the continuous seepage weakened the ground, resulting in the trees collapsing. The affected families also said they had earlier informed the Forest Department about the dangerous condition of the trees and the drainage issue, but no action was taken.

Former councillor Anand Kaushal visited the site soon after receiving information about the incident. He said he immediately contacted Forest Department officials, following which a tree-cutting team reached the spot and started relief operations.

Kaushal said two trees had fallen on houses, while two others were leaning dangerously and needed to be removed immediately to prevent further damage. He added that continuous water flow from shops and the upper areas near the Motor Barrier had weakened the soil, causing the trees to tilt toward the houses.

He urged the administration to implement a permanent solution to the drainage problem and provide appropriate relief and compensation to the affected families.