Seven soldiers and a civilian were killed and 28 others rescued after a four-storey building in Himachal Pradesh’s Kumarhatti town where Assam Rifles troopers were holding a party, collapsed due to rain, rescuers said on Monday.
Deputy Commissioner K.C. Chaman said six soldiers were still trapped in the debris and rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army and the state police were on to save them.
The 28 people who were rescued comprised 17 soldiers and 11 civilians.
The dead included the building owner’s wife.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur along with his Cabinet Minister Rajiv Saizal, MP Suresh Kashyap and state Assembly Speaker Rajiv Bindal reached the spot and supervised the rescue operation.