8 Killed, 10 Injured After Private Bus Overturns In Himachal's Chamba District

At least eight people, including the driver and conductor, were killed and 10 others injured after a private bus overturned and fell onto a lower road in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district on Saturday morning.

The accident took place near Chalunj Mor in the Devikothi area on the Bairagarh-Tissa road when the bus, operated by Sharma Bus Service, was travelling from Bairagarh to Chamba. Officials said the vehicle had left Bairagarh around 6:30 am and met with the accident after covering nearly three kilometres.

The bus was carrying 18 people at the time of the crash. According to officials, the vehicle overturned before plunging onto a road below, leaving several passengers trapped under the wreckage.

Chamba, Himachal Pradesh: Seven people, including the driver and conductor, were killed and 11 others injured after a private bus travelling from Bairagarh to Chamba fell off the road near Chaluj Mor on the Tissa-Bairagarh main road on Saturday morning. The bus was carrying 18… pic.twitter.com/e6zasogEdY

— IANS (@ians_india) August 8, 2026

Hearing cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot and alerted the police. Rescue teams comprising personnel from the NDRF, Police, Home Guards, Fire Services and the Revenue Department launched an operation to pull passengers out of the damaged bus and shift the injured to hospitals.

Of the 10 injured, six sustained serious injuries and were referred to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College and Hospital in Chamba for treatment.

The Chamba District Disaster Management Authority confirmed that eight people lost their lives in the accident, while ten others were injured. The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released.

Authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.

The crash occurred on the Bairagarh-Tissa road, a 27-kilometre mountain stretch in the remote Churah Valley known for its narrow roads and steep slopes. The route serves as an important link for travellers heading towards the high-altitude Sach Pass.

Following the incident, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and instructed the district administration to make proper arrangements for the treatment of the injured.

चंबा जिला के तीसा-बैरागढ़ मार्ग पर चालुज मोड़ के पास हुए बस हादसे में 7 लोगों के निधन तथा अन्य 11 के घायल होने का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है।

इस दुःखद हादसे में अपनों को खोने वाले परिवारों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएँ हैं। ईश्वर दिवंगत जनों की आत्मा को अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान दें और… pic.twitter.com/XUdZ945Rx5

— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) August 8, 2026

Meanwhile, torrential rains have led to the closure of 185 roads in Himachal Pradesh, and the Shimla Met Office on Saturday issued an 'orange alert' for heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places in the state on Monday and Tuesday.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 77 water supply schemes and 104 transformers were also disrupted as of Saturday morning.

A total of 92 roads were blocked in Mandi, followed by 48 in Kullu, 14 each in Chamba and Shimla, 9 in Sirmaur, 5 in Kangra and 3 in Una district, officials said.

Since the monsoon began on June 30, 65 people have died in rain-related incidents so far, including 14 in landslides and one in flash floods.

The state has suffered losses totalling Rs 834 crore, they said.

The weather department has predicted a wet spell in the state till August 14.