HP rains: All schools, colleges to remain shut in state Wednesday, death toll climbs to 57

The death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh rose to 57 on Wednesday with the body of a woman being pulled out of the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple near Summer Hill in Shimla, officials said.

Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla's Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Fagli.

"Rescue operations are going on in Summer Hill and Krishna Nagar areas and one body has been recovered from Summer Hill," Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi told PTI.

He said so far 13 bodies have been recovered from Summer Hill, five bodies from Fagli and two from Krishna Nagar. Ten bodies are still feared buried in the debris of the Shiv temple that collapsed on Monday.

About 15 houses in Krishna Nagar have been vacated and the families have been shifted to safe places. Several others have vacated their homes themselves fearing slides due to incessant rains.

Two persons were killed and at least eight houses were razed to the ground and a slaughter house was buried under debris in a major landslide at Krishnanagar locality in the heart of Shimla city on Tuesday evening.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday that a nearly 157 per cent surge in rainfall over the past few days has resulted in extensive damage across Himachal Pradesh and about 60 people have been killed in the last three days.

The Education department had ordered closure of all schools and colleges in the state on Wednesday due to inclement weather and the Himachal Pradesh University has suspended teaching activities till August 19.

About 800 roads are blocked in the state and the losses suffered by the state since the onset of monsoon since June 24 has crosses Rs 7,200 crore, officials said.

Earlier in July, heavy rains in the state, including in Mandi, Kullu and Shimla, claimed several lives and destroyed property worth crores.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has urged the Centre to declare national calamity in Himachal Pradesh and release Rs 2,000 crore for restoration works.