A Himachal Pradesh Road Transport bus with several passengers and at least two other vehicles were badly hit by heavy boulders, following a landslide in Nigulseri in Kinnaur district on August 11.
The landslide occurred just before noon in Chaura village in Kinnaur, officials said. The bus was on its way from Reckong Peo in Kinnaur to Shimla Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner (Kinnaur) Abid Hussain Sadiq said.
Here are the updates :
10 bodies recovered, 13 injured pulled out of the rubble
Ten people were killed, 13 rescued and several others feared buried under debris after a landslide trapped a bus and other vehicles in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, PTI quoted officials as saying.
Ten bodies have been recovered so far, while 13 injured have been pulled out of the rubble, Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur, Abid Hussain Sadiq said.
He said the rescue operation is underway to locate several other persons trapped under the debris.
Earlier, a police officer in Bhawanagar said around 25 to 30 were trapped under the rubble.
The landslide and shooting of stones occurred at Chaura village on national highway number five in Nigulsari of Nichar tehsil in Kinnaur district at around noon, State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said.
NDRF, ITBP, CISF and local police carrying out rescue operations: CM Thakur
At least 10 persons were pulled out of the rubble in an injured condition during the initial hours of the rescue operation.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told the State Assembly that there are reports that 50-60 people are trapped under the debris, but the exact number was not known.
He said the driver and the conductor were rescued with injuries and were not in a position to tell the exact number of the passengers who were on the bus.
The teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the local police reached the spot for carrying out the rescue operation, Mr. Thakur said.
He said an Army official also called him and extended help. A helicopter is also being arranged for the rescue operation, the Chief Minister said.
PM Modi, Amit Shah speak to CM Thakur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Mr. Thakur over the incident.
"PM @narendramodi spoke to Himachal Pradesh CM @jairamthakurbjp regarding the situation in the wake of the landslide in Kinnaur. PM assured all possible support in the ongoing rescue operations," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
Union Home Minister Shah also spoke to Mr. Thakur to take stock of the situation arising due to the landslide The Home Minister also directed the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to provide all assistance to the Himachal Pradesh government in rescue and relief operations.
Mr. Thakur said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has talked to him and the topmost priority as of now is to rescue those trapped under the debris and provide them the best possible treatment.
Two bodies recovered
State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said at least 10 persons were pulled out of the rubble in an injured condition during the initial hours of the rescue operation and shifted to a nearby hospital.
He added two bodies have been recovered so far.
Seven of them rescued
The landslide occurred when there was no rainfall in the area at that time.
Seven people have been rescued so far. They have been admitted to community health centre at Bhavanagar. They have suffered injuries but none are critical, Chief Medical officer D.R. Sonam Negi, present at the incident site told The Hindu.
The incident occurred at Negulseri around 12.30 p.m. on national highway between Rekong Peo and Rampur.
Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq told The Hindu that a bus with passengers is buried under the debris after the landslide.
"As of now there’s no confirmation about casualties, but we can't rule it out. Stones are still falling at the incident site and rescue operation is about to start. Reports are suggesting that there are some other vehicles trapped under the debris apart from the bus, " he said.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Manmohan told the The Hindu that the bus driver has been rescued and according to him around 32 passengers were on board.
Army, NDRF called in
Kinnaur landslide: One truck, a HRTC bus and few vehicles reportedly came under the rubble. Photo: Twitter/@ITBP_official
The Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local rescue teams have been called in for the rescue work, the Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner said.
(With inputs from PTI)
