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Uttarakhand bus with 35 passengers plunges into overflowing Nainital drain amid heavy rain. Video
Uttarakhand is witnessing unprecedented rainfall, which has triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts.
More than 30 passengers had a narrow escape after a bus in which they were travelling plunged into an overflowing drain in Uttarakhand's Nainital amid heavy rainfall on Sunday. A video of the distressing incident, which happened in Nainital's Ramnagar town, also surfaced online.
The video showed two buses attempting to cross the drain, and but the second bus with 35 passengers overturned halfway through the crossing, resulting in panic among the passengers and onlookers nearby. It later showed several people rushing to rescue the struck passengers.
Live Hindustan reported that the passengers were saved after the police carried out a rescue operation with the help of JCB tractors.
The Himalayan state is witnessing unprecedented rainfall, which has triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts, resulting in extensive damage to life and property.
Gaurikund landslide
In a separate incident, a rescue team continued their search operation for the third day on Sunday for 20 people who went missing in a landslide in Gaurikund, on the way to Kedarnath. The landslide had occurred on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday due to a flash flood and swept away three shops. Three bodies were recovered from the rubbles of the shops but 20 people remained missing.
The police fear that the survival chances of the missing persons are nil.
In another incident, two children had died after a wall of their house collapsed in Tehri the same day.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department indicated that no relief is likely for people of Uttarakhand soon as intense rainfall activities may continue in the state till August 10. The state remained on a ‘yellow’ alert for Monday, in the anticipation of heavy rainfall; while the Dehradun MeT office put several districts including Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, among others on an orange alert for the next two days.
