(Adnkronos) – At least 18 people have died and three others have been rescued in the Bilaspur district, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, after a bus was engulfed by a landslide. The vehicle, which was carrying about thirty passengers, was engulfed and buried by a hill collapse, caused by heavy rains that have affected the area since Monday, according to the Indian television network Ndtv.
Following the incident, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his “deep condolences” on X for the victims and announced the payment of compensation of 200,000 rupees (just over 1,930 euros) from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the families of each of the victims and 50,000 rupees (just over 480 euros) to the injured.
For his part, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, announced on X that “authorities have been ordered to deploy all necessary means” to carry out rescue operations, also extending his condolences to the families affected by the incident.
