Himachal: Thunderstorm in Shimla uproots tree, crushes three parked vehicles

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 2 (ANI): A heavy thunderstorm followed by rainfall in Shimla caused a large tree to uproot and fall on three parked vehicles this afternoon, temporarily blocking a section of National Highway-5 near the Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation office in the Tutikandi area. The tree fall led to significant damage to two of the vehicles, while a third suffered partial damage.
The sudden and intense weather created hazardous conditions in the hill city, as strong winds and rain brought down the massive tree. The fallen tree disrupted traffic and caused panic among local residents and employees of nearby offices.
Harmanjeet Singh, an official at the Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation, confirmed the extent of the damage.
"Three vehicles were damaged when the tree fell near our office. Two belong to our department - one to a colleague and another to a junior engineer. It seems the storm and rain caused the tree to fall. It was a huge tree, and we never thought it would collapse, but it did, right onto the cars. The road was blocked, but police are now working on the scene. We've also called the insurance providers, and they are coming. Two vehicles are destroyed," he said.
Another local resident and taxi driver, Parasram Thakur, also suffered a personal loss in the incident.
"I had parked my taxi by the side of the road and went to have tea. When I returned, the tree had fallen, crushing three vehicles, including mine. It's a huge loss for us, especially during the peak tourism season. I believe this happened due to the storm and rain," said Thakur.
Responding swiftly to the emergency, the local forest department arrived at the spot after receiving a telephonic alert from their superior.
Mohandas, a forest guard posted in the area, explained the response. "We received a call from our Block Forest Officer informing us that a tree had fallen on the road above the IPH Colony in the Tutikandi area. We reached the site and cleared the road by cutting and removing the tree. Three vehicles were damaged. There was a strong thunderstorm and rain overnight, which likely caused the fall. The road is now open, and we are assessing the extent of the damage," he said.
Authorities have cleared the road, and normalcy has returned. However, the incident has sparked concern among residents and commuters about the risk posed by old and unstable trees during extreme weather events, which have become increasingly frequent in the region.
On Thursday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the next five days, warning of continued thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and light to moderate rainfall across several parts of the state. Authorities have advised caution, especially in higher reaches and landslide-prone areas. (ANI)