At least 15 people have been confirmed dead after a landslide struck a private bus in India’s northern Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday, as rescue teams continue searching for a missing child.
The disaster occurred on Tuesday evening amid two days of heavy rainfall that has triggered flooding and landslides across the region. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Karam Singh told news agency ANI that two children were injured, while one remains unaccounted for.
“In this horrific mishap, 15 people lost their lives, including nine men, four women, and two innocent children, while two children were injured and the search for one continues,” Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said in a post on X.
Images broadcast by ANI showed the bus’s mangled remains along a narrow mountain road as rescuers used heavy machinery to clear mounds of debris.
Others were seen manually digging through the mud in an effort to recover victims and personal belongings buried beneath the landslide.
“The major cause of this incident is the rain that has been happening for the last two days in the region,” senior police officer Sandeep Dhawal said.
Himachal Pradesh, known for its steep terrain and fragile slopes, is frequently hit by monsoon-triggered landslides during the rainy season. This week’s torrential rainfall has caused widespread destruction across India’s Himalayan belt.
In West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, at least 23 people were killed by flash floods and landslides earlier this week, while neighboring Nepal reported 50 deaths as swollen rivers and mudslides swept away homes and blocked major roads.
Authorities in Himachal Pradesh have urged residents and travelers to remain cautious, warning that continued heavy rain may increase the risk of further landslides in the coming days.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
