More Than 40 Feared Trapped In Major landslide in Himachal's Kinnaur, ITBP Initiates Rescue Mission

According to first hand reports, more than 40 persons are feared to have buried under the debris of the landslide.

Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq, told the media that several vehicles, including a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus carrying over 40 passengers, are currently buried there and survivors are stranded, waiting for rescue operations.

The Indo-Tibetan border police (ITBP) in a tweet further informed that the incident occurred at around 12:45 pm on the Reckong Peo-Shimla highway in the Kinnaur district. The HRCTC bus, trucks and other vehicles are reported to have come under the rubble.

The ITBP further added that, rescue operations have already been initiated and ITBP personnel have rushed to the landslide site for rescue.

They are currently engaged in a rescue operation to save the people who are reported to be trapped under the debris.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur informed the media that police and the local administration have already been swiftly directed to carry out rescue operations, while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been put on a high alert in order to complete the rescue procedure.

The Himachal Prades CM further added, "I have directed the police and local administration to carry out rescue operations. The NDRF has also been put on alert. We have received information that one bus and a car could have been hit; we are awaiting detailed information on the matter."

It may be noted that, the area of Kinnaur has recently been affected with regular and fatal landslides, triggered by harsh weather and the torrential rainfall. As many as nine tourists were killed and three others, including a local resident, were injured when heavy boulders fell on their tempo traveler during multiple landslides on the Batseri-Sangla road in Kinnaur on Sunday.

It has been a matter of great concern for the environmental experts as flash floods in Himachal Pradesh has been a regular affair this rainy season.

The state of Himachal has also registered an increase of 116% in incidents related to landslide, while the MET the department has informed that cloudburst occurrences have gone up by 121% compared to the previous year.

According to a recent data released by the Himachal Pradesh state government, 35 major landslides have already been recorded since June 13. This has shifted the point of concern pertaining to the fragile ecology of the Himalayan region amongst ecologists and environmental experts.

In the year 2020, 16 landslides were recorded across the hill state.