10 dead, 14 injured in Kinnaur landslide, says ITBP

Rescue officials informed that the death toll climbed to 10 and 14 have been injured in the landslide that hit Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district on Wednesday.

"Total 10 dead bodies have been retrieved from the spot. 14 injured have been rescued. All bodies sent to Bhavanagar," said Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in an official statement.

Meanwhile, the State Emergency Operation Centre had earlier informed that so far 10 people have been rescued from the incident site at Reckong Peo-Shimla Highway near Nigulsari in Kinnaur.

As per officials, a 30-seater Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, a truck and four cars were among the vehicles that came under the rubble as the landslide hit around 12 noon and over 50 people are feared to be trapped in the debris.

ITBP spotted a panel of the state transport bus, however, said that there is no trace of its passengers.

Rescue operations are being carried out by teams of the ITBP, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army and local police. The operations were hindered by the falling boulders.

Earlier, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that that the bus driver and the conductor have been rescued from the site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called upon the chief minister and assured all possible help in the ongoing rescue and search operation. Shah also spoke to Director General of ITBP over the incident.

( With inputs from ANI )

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