Kinnaur landslide: Death toll surges to 13, rescue work resumes

The total number of dead bodies recovered from the landslide site of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh rises to 13 on Thursday, Dharmender Thakur, Deputy Commandant, ITBP said. On the other hand, 13 people have been rescued safely and sent to CHC-Bhawanagar for medical treatment, so far.

The number of dead may further increase as a bus and the Bolero and its passengers are still untraceable. Yesterday, a massive landslide occurred at Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district burying buses and numerous other vehicles under rubble.

The HRTC bus, which had been on its way from Reckong Peo to Haridwar via Shimla, was hit by the boulders on national highway number five in Nigulsari area of Nichar tehsil.

First, shooting stones fell down the mountainside into the river below, creating small splashes of water. Warming whistles were heard and then a big chunk of the mountain collapsed on National Highway 5 and into the river.

Yesterday, the authorities suspended the search operation at around 10 pm and on Thursday morning the search operation resumed. Until Wednesday 10 people were found dead, including eight persons travelling in a Tata Sumo.

The state disaster management authority has requisitioned the NDRF from Nurpur for the search and rescue operation.

District officials, search and rescue teams, including members of local police, home guards, NDRF, ITBP, and a medical team are at the incident site.

Ten ambulances, four earth removers, 52 personnel of the ITBP's 17th Battalion, 30 personnel of police, and 27 NDRF personnel are carrying out the rescue operation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who were killed in the landslide and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the tragedy.