- At least 18 people were killed after a bus was buried in a landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district
- The bus, carrying 30-35 passengers, was travelling from Haryana's Rohtak to Ghumarwin in Bilaspur
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu ordered urgent rescue operations and is monitoring the situation
At least 18 people were killed, and three rescued, after a private bus was buried under the debris of a massive landslide triggered in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district late Tuesday evening.
The bus, carrying around 30 to 35 passengers, was on its way from Haryana's Rohtak to Ghumarwin, near Bilaspur, when, due to heavy rain, the entire hill came crashing onto the bus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund to the families of those who died and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
"Saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured," a PMO statement said.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed grief over the accident and directed the officials to carry out the rescue operations.
"In this massive landslide, tragic news has come of 10 people losing their lives after a private bus was caught in it, and there is apprehension that several others may be trapped under the debris," Sukhu wrote in a post on X.
"Rescue operations are ongoing on a war footing. Instructions have been given to the authorities to deploy their full machinery," he said, adding that he's closely coordinating with the local administration to receive updates on the incident.
A video from the site showed a JCB machine clearing debris, while several people attempted to rescue those who were trapped in the wreckage.
The whole mountain came crashing down on the bus, and chances of survival of passengers are bleak, news agency PTI quoted a police official as saying.
The accident took place near the Bhallu Bridge in the Bhalughat area in the Jhandutta assembly segment.
Jeet Ram Katwal, the MLA from Jhandutta, visited the site to assess the ongoing rescue operations. According to reports, three children were rescued and taken to a hospital in Berthin near Bilaspur for medical treatment.
Expressing grief over the accident, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are carrying out the rescue efforts.
"I am deeply saddened by the bus accident caused by a landslide in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. NDRF teams have reached the incident site and are engaged in rescue operations. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. At the same time, I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Shah wrote in a post on X.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured.
"The news of the deaths of several people in a bus accident caused by a landslide in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, is extremely tragic. I express my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured," she said in a post on X.
The Bilaspur area has been witnessing intermittent rainfall since Monday.
