Two persons, including an Army man, died and 27 others were injured after a building collapsed amid heavy rain in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. Eighteen Army personnel were among the injured. Many people are feared trapped, officials said.
The building, on the Nahan-Kumarhatti road, came down at 4 p.m.
A google map view of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh.
“The top floor had a restaurant, where people, including Army personnel, were dining. We have rescued 27 people. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have taken over the rescue,” Additional Superintendent of Police Shiv Kumar said. “The injured have been taken to nearby hospitals,” he said.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has ordered an inquiry. Solan Deputy Commissioner K.C. Chaman said two bodies were pulled out. Eight were still trapped under the debris, he said. Initially, the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police jointly carried out the rescue operation. Director cum Special Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management D C Rana told PTI that two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, including one each from Haryana’s Panchkula and Himachal’s Sunni reached the spot later to carry out the rescue work. A third NDRF team will reach from Panchkula on Monday, Mr. Rana added.
(With inputs from PTI)