Ten people were killed after a landslide trapped a bus and other vehicles in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district on Wednesday. As many as 14 people have been rescued so far, and further rescue operations are underway. Several others are feared buried under debris.
Nine of the 10 deceased have been identified, confirmed officials engaged in rescue operations. Among the dead are five women and a child.
State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said the landslide and shooting stones occurred at Chaura village on National Highway-5 in Nigulsari area of Nichar tehsil in Kinnaur district at around noon.
The District Emergency Operation Centre of Kinnaur has released the details of those deceased and injured in the incident.
#UPDATE: Details of the deceased and injured. #Kinnaur. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/W8xpVeiK1G
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There are 25 passengers feared trapped in the bus, which has been covered under the debris. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which was on its way from Reckong Peo to Haridwar via Shimla when the accident took place.
A car was partially damaged, while another fully damaged, and rescue teams are trying to pull them out from the debris with the help of a crane, officials said.
District administration officials, search and rescue team comprising members of local police, homeguards, NDRF, ITBP, Quick Response Team (Police) and Medical Team are at the incident site. Ten ambulances, four earth removers, 52 personnel of the ITBP's 17th Battalion, 30 personnel of police and 27 NDRF personnel are carrying out the rescue operation, reports PTI.
—With inputs from Namrata Biji Ahuja, agencies