At least 15 people were killed late Thursday after a massive landslide struck a passenger bus in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh, authorities confirmed. The tragic accident occurred near Bilaspur district, where days of relentless rainfall had destabilized the steep mountain slopes, triggering the deadly slide.
Officials said the bus, carrying between 20 and 25 passengers, was travelling along a narrow hilly stretch when it was suddenly hit by falling debris. The impact crushed the vehicle under tons of mud and rocks. Among the dead were nine men, four women, and two children, police reported.
Three children were rescued alive and taken to a nearby hospital, where they are receiving treatment for serious injuries, according to a statement from the office of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Authorities warned that several passengers were still missing and feared dead as search and rescue operations continued into Friday.
Rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), worked through the night, digging through mounds of earth and twisted metal in search of survivors. Footage shared by ANI showed the bus’s mangled wreckage lying at the edge of a mountain road, surrounded by piles of mud and debris. Excavators and heavy machinery were deployed to clear the area, while local volunteers assisted in recovering belongings from the wreckage.
Persistent rainfall since Monday has made rescue efforts difficult, with intermittent downpours causing fresh landslides and blocking access roads. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for continued heavy rainfall in the region, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid unstable slopes.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the Himachal landslide. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the president said in a post on X. Prime Minister Modi announced financial assistance for the victims’ families and praised rescue workers for their efforts under dangerous conditions.
Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous state prone to heavy rainfall and flash floods, has witnessed a sharp rise in weather-related disasters this year. Local authorities say that continuous deforestation, unplanned construction, and climate change have weakened the soil structure, increasing the likelihood of landslides.
Extreme rains have wreaked havoc across South Asia in recent months. In August, flash floods in India’s neighbouring state of Uttarakhand swept away an entire village, killing dozens. Over the weekend, at least 44 people were reported dead in Nepal after torrential downpours triggered mudslides and flash floods that submerged parts of the capital, Kathmandu, and led to the cancellation of all domestic flights.
Meteorologists warn that such incidents are likely to become more frequent and intense as climate change accelerates the monsoon’s unpredictability. Once seasonal and steady, the rains now arrive in powerful bursts that dump massive volumes of water over short periods, followed by prolonged dry spells. Experts say this pattern not only disrupts agricultural cycles but also endangers millions living in the floodplains and mountainous regions of South Asia.
The Himachal tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the region’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather, as officials continue to battle both natural and man-made challenges in adapting to a changing climate.
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