10 killed, 13 injured, 50 feared trapped as landslide hits Kinnaur

*HRTC bus, Bolero among vehicles buried under debris

*8 bodies recovered from Tata Sumo

*ITBP, NDRF teams involved in rescue operations

BOX

PM, HM offer full support

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah have expressed shock over the accident and assured full help to the state.

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Rampur (Shimla), August 11

A massive landslide near Nigulsari in Kinnaur district today killed 10 persons, including a child and five women, and injured 13 others while 50 persons are feared buried under the debris.

The tragedy struck around 12.30 pm today. Several vehicles, including a truck and 42-seater Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, were hit by the landslide. The bus was on its way from Reckong Peo in Kinnaur to Shimla.

The incident was reported by the bus driver, who was seriously injured. The bus and at least three other vehicles, including a Bolero and Tata Sumo, were buried under the debris while the truck was hit by a boulder and plunged into the Sutlej river.

Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur, Abid Hussain Sadiq said 10 bodies had been recovered from the rubble so far.

He said the rescue operation was underway to locate the trapped. The rescue was being carried out by ITBP, police and NDRF personnel while 10 ambulances and four earth removers were also at the spot.

State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said the landslide occurred at Chaura village on National Highway-5 in Nigulsari area, 170 km from Shimla.

The Tata Sumo was located under the debris and eight persons were found dead in it, he said.

A car was partially damaged while another was fully damaged and rescue teams were trying to pull them out with the help of a crane, officials said.

The rescue operations would continue all night, said Kinnaur SP Saju Ram Rana.

The rescue operations were earlier hampered as boulders were rolling down, posing grave risk to rescue teams. The situation improved after two-three hours.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of the situation, said both of them had assured full support to the state.

On July 25, a landslide had hit a tourist vehicle near Batsari in Kinnaur district, killing nine persons.