11 dead, 30 feared buried as landslide hits Kinnaur

Shimla, Aug 11 (PTI): Eleven people have died and around 30 are missing after a landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur on Wednesday afternoon left several vehicles buried under debris.
State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said at least 13 persons were pulled out of the rubble in an injured condition during the initial hours of the rescue operation and shifted to a nearby hospital.
He added two bodies have been recovered so far. One of the deceased has been identified as Rohit Kumar of Kayao village in Rampur area of Shimla district, Mokhta said. The landslide and shooting of stones occurred at Chaura village on national highway number five in Nigulsari of Nichar tehsil in Kinnaur district at around noon, he said. The official said among the injured is Mahinder Pal, the driver of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, which was trapped under the debris.
The identity of others is being ascertained, he added. The injured have been shifted to Bhawanagar community health centre (CHC), Mokhta said. He said the HRTC bus, which was on its way from Reckong Peo to Haridwar via Shimla, a car and a truck lie damaged near the vicinity of the landslide area.
As per the information provided by a police officer in Bhawanagar, around 25 to 30 are still trapped under the debris.
The rescue operation is on to locate the trapped persons, he added.
The State Disaster Management Authority has requisitioned the NDRF from Nurpur for conducting the search and rescue operation, the police officer said.
District administration officials, search and rescue team comprising members of local police, homeguards, NDRF, ITBP, Quick Response Team (Police) and Medical Team are at the incident site, he said.
Ten ambulances, four earth removers, 52 personnel of the ITBP’s 17th Battalion, 30 personnel of police and 27 NDRF personnel are carrying out the rescue operation, he added.
Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told the state assembly that there are reports that 50-60 people are feared trapped under the debris, but the exact number was not known.
He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has talked to him and the topmost priority as of now is to rescue those trapped under the debris and provide them the best possible treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Thakur over the incident.
“PM @narendramodi spoke to Himachal Pradesh CM @jairamthakurbjp regarding the situation in the wake of the landslide in Kinnaur. PM assured all possible support in the ongoing rescue operations,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
Union Home Minister Shah also spoke to Thakur to take stock of the situation arising due to the landslide
The home minister also directed the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to provide all assistance to the Himachal Pradesh government in rescue and relief operations.
Thakur also told the assembly that an Army official called him and extended help.
A helicopter is also being arranged for the rescue operation, the chief minister said.
He said the landslide occurred when there was no rainfall in the area at that time.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner, Kinnaur, Abid Hussain Sadiq told PTI that several vehicles, including the HRTC bus carrying over 40 passengers, were buried under the debris.