At least 15 people were killed after a massive landslide struck a private bus near Bhalughat in the Jhanduta subdivision of Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, on Tuesday evening. According to officials quoted by news agencies, the mountain “came crashing down” on the bus following heavy rain, burying the vehicle under tonnes of debris.
The bus, carrying between 25 and 35 passengers, was travelling from Marotan towards Ghumarwin — with some reports saying it had originated in Rohtak, Haryana. Rescue teams have recovered 15 bodies so far, reportedly including nine men and four women, though the final composition is still being confirmed.
Three people, including two children, were pulled out alive from the wreckage with the help of local residents and were admitted to AIIMS Bilaspur and the government hospital at Barthin. As of Thursday morning, search and rescue operations continued for a missing eight-year-old boy. Teams from the NDRF with sniffer dogs, the SDRF, police and home guards were on site, and heavy machinery was deployed to clear the debris.
Intermittent rain since Monday has repeatedly hampered the rescue effort, officials said. The heavy, rain-sodden hillsides of the region remain unstable, and authorities have cautioned against unnecessary travel through the affected stretch, with road-clearance crews working in shifts around the clock.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the site, while Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the tragedy and ordered that the rescue operation be expedited, directing officials to ensure best possible medical care for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. BJP president JP Nadda, who hails from Bilaspur district, also condoled the deaths.
The Bilaspur tragedy comes in the same week that landslides and floods in North Bengal’s Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri regions reportedly killed more than 23 people, according to the NDRF, underlining how vulnerable hill districts across northern and eastern India have been during this spell of intense monsoon rain.
Himachal Pradesh has endured a punishing monsoon season, with swollen rivers and unstable slopes cutting off road links across several districts. State authorities have urged people to avoid travel on mountain roads during heavy rain warnings. Officials said identification of the deceased was underway, with the administration coordinating with families to hand over the bodies. More updates are expected as the rescue operation enters its third day.
