Shimla: A sombre hush blankets the once-vibrant residence of the Sharma household within the upscale Summer season Hill enclave of Shimla. The guts-wrenching incident unfolded because the Shiv Bawadi temple, crumbled into devastation, claiming the lives of seven members of the Sharma household, together with three harmless kids. This heart-rending calamity occurred throughout a cloudburst on Monday, which tragically claimed a toll of a minimum of 12 lives.
Pawan Sharma, a 60-year-old proprietor of Aman Electrics within the bustling Summer season Hill market, alongside along with his spouse Santosh Sharma, 57, their son Aman Sharma, 32, daughter-in-law Archna Sharma, 27, and their three beloved granddaughters aged between 12 and 1.5 years had been gathered on the temple for a non secular ceremony (havan) when the catastrophe struck, obliterating the construction.
The aftermath has been a poignant race towards time as rescue groups, together with the State Catastrophe Response Drive (SDRF), work tirelessly to get better the our bodies. Whereas 4 of the relations have been recovered, Pawan Sharma, Archna Sharma, and a 5-year-old baby stay lacking. Regrettably, the probabilities of discovering survivors are fading as every second passes.
The surviving family members are gripped by a profound sense of longing and sorrow. They yearn for the restoration of their family members’ stays, aspiring to supply them with a dignified farewell, a last tribute to their lives, together with these of the tender kids.
But, two our bodies stay elusive, including to the grief that pervades the household’s silent house. Their faces bear the unmistakable weight of the colossal tragedy they’ve endured. A lady throughout the household tearfully confided, “This ache will perpetually stay etched in my coronary heart.”
Within the midst of the tragedy, Pawan’s youthful sister, who was absent from Shimla, obtained a harrowing cellphone name from a member of the family. This transient dialog painted a grim image of the incident. To compound issues, entry to Shimla had been hindered by street closures, intensifying the sense of isolation and despair.
The disaster prolonged past the Sharma household, as one other landslide struck Fagli, claiming the lives of 5 people on the identical fateful day. Amid the ruins of the Shiv Bawadi temple, amid the frantic searches, Karandeep Sharma, Pawan Sharma’s nephew and an IT skilled based mostly in Chandigarh, is among the many determined souls craving for a glimpse of their family members.
The tragic toll continues to mount, with a complete of 12 our bodies recovered by the devoted efforts of the SDRF and Military rescue groups, who had been deployed with unwavering swiftness within the aftermath of the catastrophe.
Ilma Afroz, SDRF SP (Shimla), emphasised, “Our mission to rescue all these affected will persist relentlessly. As we speak, now we have bolstered our manpower on this mission of hope and restoration.”
Within the broader context of monsoon-related calamities in Himachal Pradesh, the dying toll has surpassed 60, underscoring the profound impression of nature’s wrath. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu acknowledged the intensive toll on the state, each by way of environmental harm and property loss, which is estimated at a staggering Rs 10,000 crore.
The severity of the state of affairs additional unfolded as over 800 people had been evacuated from low-lying areas close to Pong Dam in Kangra, the place rising water ranges within the reservoir rendered villages inaccessible.
Within the wake of this monumental tragedy, Shimla and its surrounding areas stand united in grief, struggling to reconcile the lack of cherished lives amidst the fury of nature’s forces.
