Heavy rains disrupt life, claims 9 lives in HP

Mandi, Aug 12 (UNI) Normal life was paralysed following incessant heavy rains lashing various parts of Himachal Pradesh since the last 48 hours leading to landslides and house and shop collapses that claimed nine lives.

A police report said that four persons were buried alive when three to four shops collapsed near a temple in Jawalaji in Kangra district. The dead bodies of the victims were extracted from the debris this afternoon by rescue teams.

The report said that the victims were sleeping when a heap of debris caused due to a landslide fell on the shops. They are yet to be identified.

Three persons of a family were buried alive when a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Gadari village of Gohar sub-division in this district early this morning.

The deceased were identified as Ram Singh (43), Banti Devi(38) and Pawan Kumar (4).

Mr Gopal Chand, SDM, who visited the site disbursed immediately financial relief of Rs 25,000 to the aggrieved family and an additional relied of Rs two lakh would be dispursed later.

A woman was buried alive when her house collapsed in Paonta village near Sarkaghat in the district today. Her dead body was extracted from the rubbles by rescue workers in the afternoon.

A report from Hamirpur said that a 14-year old boy was killed following a landslife near Kitpal village. The victim identified as Sidhartha Sharma was returning home after paying obeisance at a temple when he was got trapped in the mud and boulders brought down by the landslide.

(eds here picking up from Ch four from para five).

UNI