An eight-storey apartment building collapsed in Shimla on Thursday in front of its residents and neighbours. However, a major tragedy associated with the incident was averted as the building was vacated on time.
Videos shared on social media show the building crumbling down to the ground within seconds like a house of cards, followed by a huge cloud of dust.
The building, located on a fragile hill slope of Kacchi Ghat area at Ghoda Chowki near Hali Palace in Shimla, collapsed after the ground below it was eroded by recent rains in the area. No causalities were reported in the incident, as the building was vacated hours before it collapsed at around 5.45 PM.
The police, administration and fire brigade was already on the spot when the building came down.
The Shimla municipal corporation had asked the families in the building to vacate it as soon as possible 15 days ago. However, the families were still living there till today, not believing the warning that it could collapse. However, all the occupants moved out earlier today hours before the building collapsed, because the building had already started to tilt in one direction.
It appears that rains and landslides in recent days had loosened the soil on which the building was standing. Moreover, the structure was built without a strong foundation, contributing to its collapse. Although attempts were made to salvage the structure, it was not successful as the foundation had become too weak.
Reportedly, sewerage of waters from adjoining buildings and the buildings located above on the hills was also seeping in the foundation of the collapsed building. Now, another building in the area also has been identified as in danger of collapse.
Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi said, “All eight families were evacuated this afternoon and are being rehabilitated and as such there was no loss of human life, another building has been endangered.” Several large buildings have come up in the fragile hill known as “Kachchi Ghati”, creating panic among people in the area.
