Massive Landslide Forces Closure of Shimla’s Historic St Edwards
Landslide near Shimla school forces two-day closure amid chaos.
A massive landslide crashed down near the historic St. Edwards School in Shimla's Himland area on Friday, forcing authorities to slam the doors shut on the institution for two full days. The decision, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, prioritizes the safety of hundreds of students and staff at one of the city's oldest educational landmarks, established over a century ago and cherished for its legacy of excellence.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as terrifying: rumbling earth dislodged boulders and debris that tumbled perilously close to the school grounds, narrowly avoiding disaster but leaving a trail of destruction. A nearby house perched on the hillside now teeters on the brink of collapse, its foundations severely undermined by the slide. This isn't an isolated scare— the same stretch has been unstable for days, with a larger landslide striking just this past Tuesday, heightening fears of further instability in the rain-soaked region.
Himachal Pradesh, the "Land of Gods," has been battered relentlessly by monsoon fury this season, transforming idyllic valleys into scenes of devastation. Fresh reports highlight a cloudburst in Thach village, Kinnaur district, on Thursday night that buried two vehicles under a deluge of mud and rocks, miraculously sparing lives but underscoring the unpredictability of the weather. In Shimla's Kumarsain area, a three-storey building crumbled into rubble due to land subsidence on Thursday evening, displacing families and amplifying the humanitarian crisis.
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The downpours show no signs of mercy: Naina Devi was hammered with a staggering 158.6 mm of rain since Thursday evening, while Nahan clocked 38.2 mm, Bhattiyat 37.1 mm, Baldwara 28 mm, Kahu 23.5 mm, and Bilaspur 20 mm. Thunderstorms roared over Shimla, Kangra, Bhuntar, Murari Devi, and Sundernagar, accompanied by fierce gusts whipping through Tabo and Bajaura at 35-39 kmph, toppling trees and power lines in their wake.
The toll is staggering. Since the monsoon roared in on June 1, the state has endured 46 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, and 146 major landslides. Tragedy has claimed 424 lives—242 in rain-related calamities and 182 in road mishaps—with 481 injured and 45 souls still unaccounted for. Infrastructure is in tatters: 555 roads remain blocked as of Friday morning, including critical national highways like NH-3 (Attari-Leh), NH-5 (Old Hindustan-Tibet), and NH-503A (Amritsar-Bhota). Kullu leads the wreckage with 203 closures, followed by Mandi (158) and Shimla (50), per the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).
Power and water woes compound the misery, with 162 transformers offline and 197 supply schemes disrupted. The financial hemorrhage stands at a jaw-dropping Rs 4,749 crore, fueled by the destruction of 1,604 homes and partial damage to 7,025 more. Yet, in a cruel irony, the state has been drenched with 1,021.6 mm of rain—46% above the normal 701.7 mm—blessing fields in some areas while unleashing havoc elsewhere.
As rescue teams scramble and meteorologists warn of more instability, residents are urged to stay vigilant. The closure of St. Edwards serves as a stark reminder: in the face of nature's wrath, human resilience must rise to protect the innocent. Himachal's spirit endures, but the road to recovery will be long and arduous.
Also Read: Landslide in Kullu Kills 5 of a Family, Injures 3
