Kinnaur Landslide: Over 10 dead, 20 missing; PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh

Kinnaur : The death toll climbed to 10 in Kinnaur landslide with 15 people rescued and more than 50 still trapped under the debris. Among the rescued, there’s also the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus driver and conductor that got trapped in the debris, said Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq said that several vehicles including a HRTC bus were buried under the debris of landslide. Around 40 people were traveling in the bus which was on its route from Reckong Peo to Shimla.

The Kinnaur deputy commissioner said that the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local rescue teams have been called in for the rescue work.

Key developments from the incident:

# 10 people have been reported dead, 15 have been rescued and many other are still feared trapped under debris.

# PM Modi spoke with the CM and assured him all possible support from the Centre.

# ITBP Units (43rd Battalion, 17th Battalion, and 19th Battalion) were rushed landslide site on Reckong Peo- Shimla Highway near Nugulsari, District Kinnaur, HP.

# PM Modi also announced an ex-gratia of 2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to a landslide in Himachal Pradesh. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured.

# Following landslide around 200 meter stretch of Kinnaur-Shimla National Highway was covered under rubble. National Highway-5 is cleared but traffic movement has not started yet. Rescue operations are still on.