Shimla, Oct 7 (IANS) At least 15 passengers were killed and three rescued as a private bus was hit by a rain-triggered landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur, the home district of BJP national President J.P. Nadda, on Tuesday, officials said.

The area has been witnessing intermittent rainfall since Monday.

The bus was trapped under a massive landslip near Bhallupul in Jhanduta subdivision.

As per reports, three children have been rescued alive and are being treated at the government hospital in Barthin and at AIIMS Bilaspur.

Around 35 passengers were travelling in the bus that was on its way from Marotan to Ghumarwin.

State officials and machinery have been deployed to clear the debris, and a rescue operation has been underway to trace the missing passengers.

Officials said 15 bodies have been recovered so far from the mangled remains of the bus.

Eyewitnesses said the mountain came crashing down on the bus, and the chances of survival for passengers are bleak.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu expressed grief over the incident and extended his condolences to the bereaved. He said that he is in constant touch with the district administration and has issued directives to expedite relief and rescue operations.

The Chief Minister has ordered that the injured be immediately transported to hospitals and that adequate arrangements be made for their treatment.

Local administration, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams rushed to the spot to carry out rescue operations, which continued late into the night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the loss of lives in the mishap and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those dead. BJP President Nadda expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

The party President wrote on X, “The news of several people being killed or injured due to a bus being caught in a devastating landslide in the Jhanduta area of Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, is extremely heartbreaking.

“I sought information from the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, regarding the ongoing relief and rescue operations at the accident site.”

“I requested the Himachal Pradesh Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur, the state BJP president Rajeev Bindal and BJP workers to immediately assist the victims, and directed the Bilaspur AIIMS administration to provide prompt medical treatment facilities. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray to God that He grants strength to the grieving families during this difficult time,” the Union Health Minister added.

Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his condolences by saying, “I am deeply saddened by the bus accident…I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. At the same time, I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

–IANS

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