'Lifelong pain': Family left devastated by loss of 3 generations in Shimla landslide tragedy

On Monday, a cloudburst-induced landslide in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, caused the collapse of a temple, trapping seven family members inside, including three children.

The family that tragically lost seven of their beloved members, spanning three generations, in a Himachal Pradesh landslide, is anxiously awaiting the recovery of the bodies to perform their final rites and pay their respects, especially to the three children among the victims. The fatal landslide occurred when a cloudburst triggered a collapse of a temple in Shimla on Monday.

Vinod, the brother of one of the deceased men named Pawan, expressed his deep sorrow in an interview with NDTV, saying, "My brother, three children, sister-in-law, five others including one of our daughters are gone. Rescuers are trying to find the bodies. At least I want to perform their last rites, the last rites of my brother too before my time to go comes."

As of now, two bodies remain unfound, adding to the family's anguish.

The family, gathered in their quiet home, bears the visible weight of their immense loss. "This pain will stay with me for the rest of my life," shared one woman within the family.

Pawan's younger sister, who wasn't in Shimla at the time, recounted receiving a distressing phone call informing her about the incident. She mentioned, "They said the road to Shimla is also blocked."

The elder sister of Pawan emphasized the heartbreak the family is enduring: "We just want to find the body of our brother and the others. Seven of my family members are gone. They were asking me to come here. But I didn't. Maybe I wasn't destined to die yet. They went to the temple, never to return. I just want to get my brother's body, so that we can do the final rites. Our family has been destroyed."

Monsoon-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh have resulted in more than 60 casualties. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu revealed that the state has incurred a loss of ₹10,000 crore due to environmental damage, property destruction, and casualties.

Amid these dire circumstances, over 800 individuals were evacuated from low-lying areas near Pong Dam in Kangra, as the water level in the reservoir surged, rendering villages inaccessible.