Three more bodies have been recovered by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel from the wreckage of a bus following the landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district on Thursday. Now, the death toll rose to 13.
As per the earlier information by the officials, ten people were killed, 13 rescued and several others feared buried under debris after a landslide trapped a bus and other vehicles in Kinnaur on Wednesday.
As per a video which was widely shared on social media, first, shooting stones fell down the mountainside into the river below, creating small splashes of water. Warming whistles were heard and then a big chunk of the mountain collapsed on National Highway 5 and into the river.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a tweet," The landslide tragedy at Kinnaur is very saddening. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway and everything possible is being done to assist those still trapped."
The PM has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to a landslide in Himachal Pradesh. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured.
Earlier in the day, the PM had spoken to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. "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.
A Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which was on its way from Reckong Peo to Haridwar via Shimla, was still buried under the debris, Mokhta said. Early reports said there could be up to 40 people in the government bus but it was later found that the number was far less. Earlier, the Bhawanagar station house officer (SHO) said around 25 to 30 were trapped under the debris.
When the initial reports came, Thakur told the state Assembly that 50-60 people were feared trapped under the debris but the exact number was not known. He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has talked to him and the topmost priority as of now is to rescue those trapped and provide them the best possible treatment.
The chief minister said the landslide occurred when there was no rainfall. Earlier, officials said two cars were damaged and rescue teams are trying to pull them out from the debris with the help of a crane. A truck rolled down towards a riverside due to shooting stones and the driver's body has been recovered, they added. Among the dead are a two-year-old girl and five women, a state official spokesperson said.
District officials, search and rescue teams including members of local police, home guards, NDRF, ITBP and a medical team are at the incident site, he said. 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, he added.
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