10 dead, 20 feared trapped under debris after landslide in Himachal’s Kinnaur

Ten bodies were recovered, 13 injured were rescued after a landslide hit a bus and other vehicles in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq said, PTI reported. At least 20 were feared trapped under the debris.

One of the deceased has been identified as Rohit Kumar of Kayao village in the Rampur area of Shimla district.

The landslide occurred at Chaura village on national highway number five in Nigulsari of Nichar tehsil in Kinnaur district at around noon, State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said.

“As per the information available so far, 50-60 people might be trapped there. Union Home Minister called us and said that the state can immediately tell them of any help that is needed. Army has offered us all possible help, they want to join the operation” Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had earlier told ANI.

Earlier, ITBP tweeted about the incident that occurred at 12.45pm. “A landslide reported on Reckong Peo- Shimla Highway in #Kinnaur District in Himachal Pradesh today at around 12.45 Hrs. One truck, a HRTC Bus and few vehicles reported came under the rubble. Many people reported trapped. ITBP teams rushed for rescue,” it tweeted.

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Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq said that the bus was on its way from Reckong Peo in Kinnaur to Shimla. “Shooting stones are still falling which is creating problems in carrying out the rescue operation,” he added, the agency reports.

Himachal Pradesh has witnessed many cloudbursts, landslides and flash floods this year since rains started in the state. On July 25, nine tourists were killed when boulders fell on the vehicle they were travelling in at Sangla, in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. Video footage released by Doordarshan news and news agency ANI showed rocks and heavy debris rolling down into the valley below leading to a bridge collapse and several houses being quashed.

On July 12, Himachal Pradesh’s Dharamshala were inundated by flash floods, washing away shops, vehicles and trees. The flood in Dharamshala’s Bhagsu Nag was triggered by a cloudburst . Visuals of flooded Manjhi river raging down the hills were doing the rounds  on social media.

Popular Punjabi singer Manmeet Singh died in a flash flood in Kangra district. His body was found on July 14. The Sufi singer had slipped into Kareri Lake, a high-altitude mountain water body,  during heavy rains that lashed the district. Singh, from Amritsar, was the lead singer of ‘Sain Brothers’ music group.