Himachal bus accident: Search and rescue ops on after landslide hits bus, kills 15 | Key updates

SEarch and deliver trading operations persist in in Himachal Pradesh after a common soldier jalopy was caught in a landslide in the Bilaspur district on Tuesday night. At least 15 people were killed and two children injured when a private bus was struck by a massive landslide in the Balughat area of the Jhanduta sub-divisionVisuals from the spot showed rescue personnel in action while some onlookers witnessed the incident.Police said that the intermittent rainfall in the region since Monday had forced to keep the rescue operations on hold.Also read | 15 killed as landslide hits bus in rain-hit HimachalKey updates on the Bilaspur accident -The bus, carrying 25-30 passengers, was on its way from Marotan to Ghumarwin when it was struck by a massive landslide in Balughat area around 6.30pm, read an earlier report by HT.com. “15 people were killed in the accident, including the driver and conductor of the bus, and two children were injured. The total number of passengers who were travelling in the bus is yet to be confirmed,” Jhandutta sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Arshiya Sharma said.As the mountain came crashing down on the bus, the vehicle was completely crushed. JCBs were deployed to clear the debris and assist in the search for survivors. Local police, district administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams had rushed to the spot, but rescue was delayed in light of the incessant rain in the region.An official spokesperson said a girl and a boy, aged five and 12, have been shifted to AIIMS, Bilaspur, with minor injuries and are currently stable.President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives. “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,” Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi.Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of ₹ 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased while the injured would be given ₹50,000.“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,” Modi wrote on X.Several other political leaders including union home minister Amit Shah, union health minister J P Nadda, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri also expressed grief over the accident.(With inputs from HT correspondent)