Solan, August 11: The Shimla-Kalka road along National Highway-5 has been rendered impassable due to a landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district in the early hours of Friday, as reported by local authorities. The incident occurred at around 2:35 am to 2:40 am, precipitated by heavy rains, leading to a closure of the key route.An official statement confirmed, Today, on August 11, between Thambu Mod and Chakki Mod, a section of Shimla National Highway 5 had to be closed due to landslides originating from the adjacent hillside.This event marks another episode of disruption along the Shimla-Kalka road, which was recently reopened for traffic on Wednesday after necessary restoration efforts. The road had been closed following a previous landslide last week.Concurrently, the toll of casualties arising from the cumulative impact of heavy rains, floods, and landslides in Himachal Pradesh has surged to 223 since the monsoon season commenced on June 24.Himachal Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi disclosed, A total of 223 individuals have tragically lost their lives in Himachal Pradesh, with 295 more sustaining injuries. The catastrophic weather conditions have led to the complete destruction of around 800 houses, and another 7500 houses have suffered partial damage.Adding to the state's challenges, the National Center for Seismology reported an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.4 on the Richter scale that shook the Lahaul And Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. The tremors were felt at precisely 23:20:41 Indian standard time (IST). The NCS clarified that the seismic event occurred at a depth of 5 kilometers.Also Read: Chandrayaan-3 followed by Russian lunar mission to moon after weeks