CM Omar expresses grief, assures support to affected families
Leh, Sept 04: Seven labourers from Jammu and Kashmir are feared dead after a massive landslide struck the Akhara Bazaar area of Kullu town in Himachal Pradesh early Thursday, burying their temporary shelters under tons of debris. One body has been retrieved so far, while at least five persons remain missing as rescue operations continue in hostile conditions.
The victims, part of a group working in the region, were asleep in rented quarters when the rain-soaked hillside caved in, flattening several houses and injuring three others. Neighbours recalled a thunderous crash before soil and boulders swept down, scattering belongings and engulfing families within minutes.
Rescue efforts have been mounted on a war footing by the National Disaster Response Force, with local police and fire brigade units lending support. Excavators and sniffer dogs have been deployed to trace survivors, though intermittent rainfall continues to slow progress. Authorities evacuated adjoining residents amid fears of further slope failure.
The incident comes as Himachal Pradesh grapples with an unusually heavy monsoon, which meteorological officers say has delivered rainfall far exceeding seasonal norms. The prolonged wet spell has triggered repeated landslides, severed roads and disrupted power supply across the hill state, underscoring the precarious state of its fragile mountain ecology.
From Srinagar, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conveyed grief over the deaths, acknowledging the impact on families in his union territory whose members migrate seasonally for employment. His office confirmed continuous coordination with officials in Kullu to extend assistance, including logistical aid and arrangements for possible repatriation of victims. The outreach underlined the necessity of cross-state collaboration when migrant workers fall victim to disasters outside their home regions.
Officials have cited soil saturation as the immediate trigger, though formal inquiries are underway. Families of the missing men gathered near the disaster zone, clinging to hope as teams methodically cleared rubble in search of survivors.
With the broader toll of the northern monsoon already measured in lives lost and livelihoods disrupted, the Kullu tragedy has renewed calls for strengthening resilience measures in Himalayan settlements. For now, however, the priority remains the recovery of those buried beneath the mud and offering solace to families caught in the crossfire of nature’s fury.
