Kinnaur Landslide: 10 Bodies Recovered, 14 People Rescued. Search Ops Underway

Landslide has hit an HRTC bus with 40 passengers on board, a truck, and a private car.

Image: Twitter/ITBP

New Delhi: A major landslide occurred in Kinnaur and hit a bus on the national highway near Chaura, burying the bus and other vehicles under rocks and debris. The bus was loaded with 40 passengers.

According to the latest update, a total of 10 bodies have been recovered from the landslide site in Nugulsari area of Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur. 14 people have been rescued so far. More people are feared to be missing.  

ITBP sources said that bo traces of passengers & the bus that was suspected to be trapped in the debris have been found after clearing the road in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. ITBP teams have gone towards the river (which flows near the landslide site) bed from multiple directions to find the bus. 

The Himachal roadways bus had departed from Kinnaur when the disaster happened. It is being said that a truck and a private car are also trapped under the debris. The police and rescue workers are yet to establish contact with the others.

Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur said, "I've directed police and local administration to carry out rescue operations. NDRF has also been put on alert. We have received information that one bus and a car could have been hit; awaiting detailed information."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to the Himachal Pradesh CM and assured him of all possible help from the Centre.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Himachal Pradesh CM and ITBP DG, the team deployed for evacuation, to take stock of the situation.

The area of tragedy is still slippery due to incessant rain and the state government is trying to launch a rescue operation. The medical team has reached the spot but the rescue operation has not commenced. The bus and other vehicles are completely submerged under debris. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) teams have been rushed for rescue.

The Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local rescue teams have been called in for the rescue work, the Kinnaur deputy commissioner said. He also said that shooting stones are still falling which is creating problems in carrying out the rescue operation.