At least 15 people have died after debris from a massive landslide hit a bus in Himachal Pradesh Bilaspur district late on Thursday. The tragedy occurred after days of relentless rainfall weakened the region’s hilly terrain, triggering the deadly slide.
Authorities said the bus was travelling along a steep mountain road when it was struck by falling debris. Around 20 to 25 passengers were on board at the time. Police confirmed that nine men, four women, and two children were among the victims.
Three injured children were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital, according to a statement from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s office. Rescue operations continued through Friday as emergency teams searched for more passengers feared trapped beneath the debris.
Visuals from the site showed the bus’s mangled wreckage lying on a narrow mountain road as rescue workers used heavy machinery to remove mounds of earth and stones. Others were seen searching through mud-soaked belongings scattered across the area.
Intermittent rains have lashed Himachal Pradesh since Monday, loosening the already fragile slopes. The continuous downpour has made rescue efforts more challenging and increased the risk of further landslides.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Modi also assured all possible assistance from the central government to the state authorities.
This tragedy comes amid widespread flooding and landslides across South Asia this monsoon season. In August, flash floods swept away an entire village in Uttarakhand, while over the weekend at least 44 people were killed in neighbouring Nepal due to severe rain-induced mudslides and flooding.
Experts warn that climate change is making South Asia’s monsoons increasingly erratic and intense. The region, which includes India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others, is witnessing extreme bursts of rainfall followed by dry spells, leading to devastating landslides and floods that continue to claim lives year after year.