Rescue and search operations are underway in Himachal Pradesh following a devastating landslide that struck a private bus in the Bilaspur district on Tuesday night. The natural disaster occurred in the Balughat area of the Jhanduta sub-division, tragically killing at least 15 people and injuring two children. Visuals from the scene depict rescue personnel working tirelessly amidst the debris, while onlookers observed the grim situation unfold.
The bus, reportedly carrying between 25 to 30 passengers, was en route from Marotan to Ghumarwin when the catastrophic landslide occurred around 6:30 PM. According to Jhandutta sub-divisional magistrate Arshiya Sharma, the deceased include the driver and conductor of the bus. The two injured children, a five-year-old girl and a twelve-year-old boy, have been transported to AIIMS, Bilaspur, where they are reported to be in stable condition with minor injuries.
Intermittent rainfall in the region since Monday had significantly hampered rescue efforts, with operations being temporarily halted. However, with the use of JCBs to clear the debris, local police, district administration, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams worked diligently to locate survivors. The sheer force of the landslide completely crushed the bus.
Condolences poured in from national leaders, with President Droupadi Murmu expressing her deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, and Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri also conveyed their grief over the incident.