18 Dead, 3 Rescued After Massive Landslide Buries Bus in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur

Following the impact, the bus was completely buried beneath the landslide debris.

Bilaspur:

At least 18 individuals lost their lives, while three were successfully rescued after a private bus became buried under debris from a massive landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district late Tuesday evening.

The bus, which was carrying approximately 30 to 35 passengers, was traveling from Rohtak in Haryana to Ghumarwin near Bilaspur when heavy rainfall caused an entire hillside to collapse onto the vehicle.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the incident.

"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," stated a release from the Prime Minister's Office.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed his deep sorrow regarding the accident and instructed officials to expedite 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 communicated 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 added, noting that he was maintaining close coordination with local administration for updates on the situation.

Footage from the accident site showed a JCB machine clearing debris while numerous individuals attempted to rescue passengers trapped in the wreckage.

According to a police official quoted by PTI news agency, the entire mountain collapsed onto the bus, leaving minimal chances of survival for the passengers.

The tragic incident occurred near the Bhallu Bridge in the Bhalughat area within the Jhandutta assembly constituency.

Jeet Ram Katwal, the MLA representing Jhandutta, visited the location to evaluate the ongoing rescue efforts. Reports indicate that three children were rescued and transported to a hospital in Berthin near Bilaspur for medical treatment.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences and confirmed that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were conducting rescue operations at the site.

"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 stated in a post on X.

President Droupadi Murmu also conveyed her sympathies to the victims' families and offered prayers for the 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 wrote on X.

The Bilaspur region had been experiencing intermittent rainfall since Monday.