Three more bodies were recovered from the landslide site in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district where the search and rescue operation resumed early on Thursday, raising the death toll to 13.
Three bodies were recovered from the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which, along with other vehicles, was buried under the debris, State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta told PTI.
The bus was found in a badly damaged condition, he added. Another vehicle, a Bolero, still lies buried under the rubble. The rescue work, being carried out jointly by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the members of local police and home guards, resumed at 6 am, Mokhta said. The authorities had suspended the operation on Wednesday at around 10 pm.
A 30-seater Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, a truck, and four cars were among the vehicles that came under the rubble, as the landslide hit the Reckong Peo-Shimla Highway around 12 noon on Wednesday. Ten bodies were recovered on Wednesday, while 13 others were rescued with injuries.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who were killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the tragedy.
President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his anguish at the deaths in the landslide. "It is sad to hear that many people have died and others are in danger due to landslides in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. I express my condolences to the bereaved families and pray for full success in the relief and rescue work." Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah both spoke to chief minister Jairam Thakur and assured of all possible help in the rescue and search operations.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
