Himachal Rains: Landslide Hits Shimla, Mcleodganj Cut Off

Quick summary

• Torrential rains continue to wreak havoc across northern India, particularly Himachal Pradesh, leading to landslides and road closures.
• In Himachal, 425 roads, including three key national highways (NH 3, NH-5, NH-503A), are closed due to heavy rains and landslides.
• Landslides in Shimla’s Himland area near St. Edwards School forced a two-day closure of the institution; McLeodganj was cut off due to a massive landslide blocking traffic near a church.
• Tragic incidents include:

– In Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh,rescue personnel found Kanta Devi (38) crushed under rubble clutching her two children after a cloudburst-hit landslide in Kuntari Lagaphali Village near Chamoli.
– In Andhra Pradesh’s Annamayya district on Friday, Sheik Munni (28), her seven-year-old son, and their neighbor drowned after falling into an open drain amid heavy rainfall.

• Bengaluru experienced over 50 tree falls due to persistent rains; prompt interventions have seen most complaints resolved but raised concerns over urban rainwater drainage systems.

Indian Opinion Analysis
Thes incidents highlight the severe vulnerability of both rural hill communities and urban infrastructure in coping with increasingly erratic monsoon patterns driven by climate change. While initiatives for rapid repair efforts such as reopening roads and addressing urban tree damage help mitigate immediate challenges posed by natural disasters like these heavy downpours or collapses – multi-layer Infrastructure still dry-tested