Shimla, June 30 (UNI) A multistorey building collapsed this morning in Mathu Colony, located on the road leading to Chamyana Super Speciality Hospital near Shimla.

The building, owned by Ranjna Verma, crumbled entirely, but no casualties were reported, as it was vacant at the time of the incident.

Authorities confirmed that no one was residing in the structure, which likely saved lives in what could have been a major tragedy.

The collapse highlights the growing threat to infrastructure in Shimla’s urban and peri-urban areas due to continued heavy rains, fragile slopes, and overloaded construction.

Locals said cracks had appeared in the building recently, though the cause of the collapse is still under assessment by the district administration.

In a separate tragic incident, three persons died in a road accident about 4 kilometers ahead of Jalog, under Sub-Tehsil Jalog. One reported missing.

The vehicle, reportedly carrying five passengers, veered off the rain-soaked road and plunged into a gorge. Rescue operations were launched immediately, and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, a cloudburst was reported late last night in village Sikaseri, Gram Panchayat Sarpara, Tehsil Rampur. While the flash flood caused by the cloudburst damaged local paths and disrupted minor infrastructure, no human casualties were reported.

These events occurred against the backdrop of mounting monsoon losses across the state. Since June 20, 42 lives have been lost—20 in weather-related incidents and 22 in road accidents.

The cumulative financial damage has crossed Rs 75 crore, including losses to roads, electricity, and private property. As of June 29, 129 roads remain blocked, 612 electricity transformers are disrupted, and 6 water supply schemes are non-functional.

The administration has urged residents to remain alert and avoid vulnerable slopes and poorly built structures, especially with rains forecast to continue.

UNI ML ARN