Himachal Landslide Claims 15 Lives, Rescue Teams Race Against Time
15 dead, rescue operations underway in Bilaspur tragedy.
A catastrophic landslide struck a private bus in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district, claiming at least 15 lives and leaving others potentially trapped. The disaster occurred around 6:40 pm on Tuesday in the Bhalughat area near Berthin, as a massive section of a mountain collapsed onto the bus, which was traveling from Marotan to Ghumarwin with approximately 25 passengers onboard.
The deceased have been identified as Naksh, Aarav, Sanjeev, Vimla, Kamlesh, Kanta Devi, Anjana, Bakshi Ram, Narender Sharma, Krishan Lal, Chuni Lal, Rajnish, Sonu, Sharif Khan, and Praveen Kumar. Rescue teams are working tirelessly, but hopes of finding survivors, including a child feared trapped under the debris, are dwindling.
Among the rescued are siblings Arushi and Shaurya, who are receiving treatment at AIIMS Bilaspur. Raj Kumar, a local resident, shared his relief that his children survived, though his wife, brother’s wife, and their children were also on the bus, returning from a function when the tragedy struck.
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Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who rushed from Kullu Dussehra to the site, is overseeing operations. “Postmortems will be conducted at Berthin hospital, and bodies will be handed over to families by 10:30–11:00 am,” he stated. He attributed the landslide to recent rains destabilizing the young Himalayan mountains but ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate further. Agnihotri also raised concerns about the sustainability of ongoing large-scale construction projects, noting that Himachal Pradesh has faced Rs 20,000 crore in losses from disasters since 2023.
Intermittent rains since Monday have made the region’s slopes dangerously unstable. Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Sandeep Dhawal confirmed that police and district officials are fully engaged in the rescue efforts, supported by NDRF teams. Videos circulating online show JCBs and cranes working to clear the debris.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah and J P Nadda, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed their condolences. Modi announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “My thoughts are with the affected families during this difficult time,” he posted on X.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is personally monitoring the situation, directing officials to expedite rescue efforts. Kharge noted that the state government is providing all possible aid, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the incident “deeply saddening,” offering condolences to the bereaved families.
BJP MLA J R Katwal, present at the site, confirmed that the bus driver and conductor were among the 15 fatalities. An eyewitness described the horror: “The entire mountain came crashing down on the bus.”
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