At least 15 killed as landslide crushes bus in northern India

Rescue workers carry a victim in Kolkata, India, July 25, 2017.
Reuters

At least 15 people have been killed after a rain-triggered landslide sent huge boulders crashing onto a private bus in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday evening.

The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the Balughat area of Jhanduta subdivision, Bilaspur district, when a section of hillside gave way and buried the bus travelling from Marottan to Ghumariwin. Officials said the vehicle, carrying nearly 30 passengers, was completely crushed under the debris.

Rescue teams recovered 15 bodies from the wreckage, while several others were injured. Three children pulled from the bus were taken to a hospital in Berthin for treatment.

Bilaspur recorded nearly 13 millimetres of rainfall on 7 October. Local authorities said persistent rain had destabilised slopes in the area, increasing the risk of landslides.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families and announced compensation for those affected. Emergency crews and police remain at the site as search and recovery operations continue.

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