30 dead as overcrowded bus plunges into gorge in India

Published July 1, 2018
This handout photo shows a wrecked bus and passengers belongings scattered after the bus fell into a gorge. — AFP
This handout photo shows a wrecked bus and passengers belongings scattered after the bus fell into a gorge. — AFP

At least 30 people were killed on Sunday when an overcrowded bus plunged off a mountain road into a gorge in northern India, officials said.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand state Trivendra Rawat said the bus fell into a 700-foot (213-meter) deep gorge in the Himalayan foothills. He said about a dozen others were injured, some of them critically.

Rescue and retrieval work was hampered by inclement weather, said senior police official Sanjay Gunjiyal. He said rescuers have so far pulled out 20 bodies.

Police said the 28-seater bus was carrying about 45 daily commuters.

It wasn't clear what caused the crash. But Gunjiyal said bad weather could have led the bus to skid off the road. “It is raining (in the area) since morning.

Two days back there was a landslide in that area,” he said, adding that residents were the first to reach the site and help the victims.

Gunjiya said the terrain was inhospitable and communications poor.

“Three choppers are waiting for clearance. If weather permits, these will be pressed into service to evacuate the injured” to the state's capital Dehradun, he said.

India has the world's deadliest roads, with more than 110,000 people killed annually. Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and ageing vehicles.

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

PAKISTAN has now registered 50 polio cases this year. We all saw it coming and yet there was nothing we could do to...
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...
Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...