Himachal Tragedy: 15 Dead as Landslide Buries Bus Under Rocks in Bilaspur; Rescue Ops Underway

Massive rain in Himachal Pradesh triggered a deadly landslide, burying a bus under huge rocks, leading to deaths of at least 15 people onboard. The toll is feared to rise as over a dozen people were reported injured.

The tragedy occurred in Balughat area of Jhanduta subdivision in Bilaspur district, in the relatively lower hills. The bus, moving from Marottan to Ghumarwin, was carrying around 30 passengers when boulders hit it, around 6.30 pm.

The bus got stuck under the massive rocks, and locals rushed in to help. Police and disaster relief forces also reached. Eventually an excavator had to be pressed into service to tear open the roof and get people out.

While most of the passengers died, four persons, including two children, were rescued by 9 pm, as per information from officials in state capital Shimla.
Police said an entire portion of the mountain fell on the bus, which belonged to a private transport operator.

Area SDM Arshiya Sharma said the injured were rushed to a hospital in the nearby village of Berthin. “Rescue operations are continuing on a war footing,” she told HT.

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep condolences over the tragic accident. PM Narendra Modi also expressed grief and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased.