Himachal Pradesh landslide: 46 killed, rescue operations resume

The toll could rise further as over 50 passengers were travelling in the two buses hit by the landslide, which was triggered by a cloud burst, officials said. Some other vehicles may also have been hi

At least fourty-six people were killed and many are feared trapped after three vehicles were hit by a landslide near Padhar area in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday early morning.

The toll could rise further as over 50 passengers were travelling in the two buses hit by the landslide, which was triggered by a cloud burst, officials told PTI. Some other vehicles may also have been hit by the landslide, the officials said.

"Forty-six bodies have been recovered, and of these 23 have been identified," an official said. Among the bodies recovered were those of the driver and the conductor of Chamba depot bus Chandan Sharma and Satpal.

Search and rescue teams of NDRF have been conducting retrieval operations at Mandi landslide site since Sunday night. Rescue operations resumed Monday morning.

The landslide occurred around midnight and also damaged the Mandi-Pathankot national highway 154 at Kotrupi village of Padhar in Mandi district.

Commenting on the incident, Mandi deputy commissioner Sandeep Kadam said the possibility of more deaths could not be ruled out.

National Highway 21 from Mandi to Aut was closed for travelling passengers due to the threat of landslides.

Speaking to news agency ANI, the chief minister Virbhadra Singh said,''the rescue operation is on and Police is there. Army has been called. Local people also helping. I'm going there too.''

A 250-meter stretch of road has been completely washed away and the Mandi-Joginder Nagar road has been closed for traffic. Vehicles have been diverted to alternative routes.

This is the third such major incident in Himachal Pradesh since 1988. Earlier 45 bus passengers were buried in a landslide near Matiyana in Shimla district in 1988 while 42 passengers were buried in an incident at Luggar Hati in Kullu district in 1994.

(With agency inputs)