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Kinnaur landslide toll rises to 14 with recovery of four more bodies
Bodies were found in the wreckage of an HRTC bus, which was en route to Haridwar from Reckong Peo, it was said to have been carrying 22 passengers when it got buried
The death toll in the Kinnaur landslide rose to 14 with the recovery of four more bodies on Thursday morning. The bodies were found in the wreckage of a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which had slid down National Highway 5 after being hit by big boulders during the landslide.
The bus carrying around 22 passengers was en route to Haridwar from Reckong Peo when the mishap took place. A few other private vehicles, including a truck, a car and a Tata Sumo were also buried under the debris, and have now been recovered.
Kinnaur superintendent of police Sarju Ram Rana said, “The wreckage of the HRTC bus was found 70metres down the National Highway 5. It was carrying around 22 passengers when it got buried.”
“Four bodies of passengers were recovered from the wreckage of the bus this morning, taking the toll to 14. Until last night, 10 bodies had been retrieved till the suspension of rescue operations.”
Stating that more people are feared to be trapped under the debris, Rana said, “We don’t have the exact number but we expect that it could be as high as 25.”
HRTC managing director Sandeep Kumar confirmed that there were about 22 passengers in the HRTC bus. “Both the driver and conductor had alighted from the vehicle to inquire about the condition of the road when the bus got buried under the debris,” said Kumar, adding that both are still in a state of shock.
Teams of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force, Army and Himachal Police, are carrying out rescue operations. About a 70 metre stretch of the highway has been blocked by the debris. The road was reopened for traffic last night. There were about 300 vehicles stranded on the both sides of the road.
CM visits Negulseri to oversee rescue ops
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday visited Negulseri, the landslide site in Kinnaur to oversee the relief and rescue operations. He also announced ₹4 lakh relief for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 to those critically injured in the tragic incident. He said the transport department would also provide ₹1 lakh to kin of the passengers of the HRTC bus who died in Wednesday’s incident. He said that free treatment would also be provided to all the injured by the state government. The CM later paid a visit to the community health centre in Bhawanagar and enquired about the well-being of the injured and wished them speedy recovery.
The CM also lauded the services of the ITBP, NDRF, CISF, state police personnel and local people in relief and rescue operations. He said that the state government will conduct a geological survey of the area as a long-term solution.
Assembly expresses grief
Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh assembly which is in session has expressed grief over the loss of life in the incident. Urban development and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj briefed the House about the incident. Dalhousie legislator Asha Kumari expressed concern over the frequently occurring natural disasters in the state and stressed on the need to take steps to mitigate such calamities.
CPIM legislator Rakesh Singha castigated the government for delay in the rescue operation, citing media reports. He said it took heavy machinery mobilised from Narkanda to reach the spot. Vidhan Sabha speaker Vipin Parmar also condoled the incident.
