12 people have been reported dead, while 13 have been injured in a bus accident which took place in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Sunday. The bus fell into a 150-meter-deep gorge, an official said.
The bus was en-route Vikas Nagar from Jankichatti in the district when it fell into the gorge near Damta, District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said. Ten passengers died on spot, while two later succumbed to their injuries at a nearby hospital.
The official further said that a search and rescue operation is underway in the area, adding that a few bodies could be stuck in bushes.
The authorities said that the four critically injured people were flown to Dehradun for treatment. The bus, after plunging into the gorge, landed a few metres from the Yamuna river, the official said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief at the loss of lives. The chief minister directed the district administration to take all the needed measures for the treatment of the injured.
Bus accidents are big cause of concern for Uttarakhand government. In July, 47 people were killed and 11 injured when an overloaded private bus fell into a 200-metre deep gorge near Gween village in the district.
The bus was on its way to Ramnagar from Pauri Garwal. Chief Minister Rawat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed grief on the incident. The chief minister had also announced a compensation of Rs 2 Lakh for the kin of deceases and Rs 50 thousand for critically injured.