In a tragic incident, over 40 persons are feared buried under the debris of a major landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district , Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq said.
However, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur differed with the figures saying : 50-60 people could be trapped in the debris following a landslide on a road in Nugulsari area of Kinnaur district. Four people including driver änd conductor of the bus trapped in the debris have been rescued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur regarding the situation in the wake of the landslide in Kinnaur. “PM assured all possible support in the ongoing rescue operations,” the PMO said in a tweet.
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.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 11, 2021
Sadiq told PTI that several vehicles, including a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus carrying over 40 passengers, are buried under the debris. The bus was on its way from Reckong Peo in Kinnaur to Shimla, he said. The Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local rescue teams have been called in for the rescue work, the Kinnaur deputy commissioner said.
Sadiq also said shooting stones are still falling which is creating problems in carrying out the rescue operation.
Around 200 jawans of 3 battalions of ITBP are reportedly on the spot where landslide happened according to media reports . “The teams are waiting for more than one hour for the shooting stones to stop. It is believed that around 40 people are trapped. The area is currently very dangerous,” ITBP Spokesperson Vivek Pandy said.
