New Delhi, Oct 8, (dpa/GNA) – A massive landslide in northern India, buried a bus carrying dozens of passengers, killing at least 18 people, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the authorities.
The accident occurred on a road in Bilaspur district in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Three passengers had been rescued by late evening, but several more were believed to still be trapped under the earth and rocks, according to NDTV and other Indian outlets.
The private bus was believed to be carrying 30 to 35 passengers, though an exact number was not immediately known. Television footage showed rescue teams working to reach people trapped under the debris.
The landslide was apparently triggered by heavy and prolonged rainfall, which caused an entire mountainside to collapse.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, and announced financial assistance for the injured and the families of those killed, his office said.
GNA