Death Toll Rises to 16 After Landslide Buries Bus in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur
The death toll from a devastating landslide that buried a private bus in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district rose to 16 on Wednesday after the body of a child was recovered, officials said. The search and rescue operation has now been called off.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday evening, when a massive portion of a hillside collapsed onto a moving bus near Bhalu Ghat in Berthin, trapping 18 passengers. By late Tuesday night, 15 bodies had been pulled from the debris.
“Sixteen bodies have been recovered and two children rescued,” said Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Sandeep Dhawal, adding that teams had thoroughly combed the site, breaking apart overhanging debris to ensure no one remained trapped.
Rescue operations—halted overnight due to poor visibility and the risk of further landslides—resumed early Wednesday with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, home guards, fire personnel, and local volunteers. NDRF officials said dog squads and heavy machinery were deployed to clear boulders and search for victims.
Officials confirmed that the deceased included nine men, four women, and three children. The victims’ bodies have been handed over to their families, each of whom has received ₹25,000 in immediate relief.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the bus, carrying 18 passengers, was crushed under debris from the landslide. “This is a very unfortunate tragedy,” Sukhu told reporters, announcing ₹4 lakh in compensation for each bereaved family.
He said the government launched rescue operations immediately after receiving information. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who was attending Dussehra celebrations in Kullu, rushed to the site, while Urban Development Minister Rajesh Dharmani cut short meetings in Delhi to return to Bilaspur.
Sukhu blamed intense monsoon rainfall and early snowfall for triggering the landslide, noting that such incidents are unusual in October. “This is a clear consequence of climate change,” he said.
He added that the state has suffered losses of ₹7,000 crore during this monsoon season, while the ₹1,500 crore relief package announced by the Prime Minister has yet to be disbursed. Sukhu also urged motorists to exercise caution on narrow hill roads, calling landslides a “recurring natural hazard.”
Among the dead were four members of one family — two brothers’ wives and two of their children — returning home after attending a family function. The survivors included the brothers’ children, Aarushi and Shaurya, who were treated at AIIMS Bilaspur and later discharged.
“My wife and two children, along with my brother’s wife and kids, were returning from a ceremony when the hill gave way,” said Raj Kumar, the father of the surviving children. “Now, only my children are left.”
Deputy CM Agnihotri, who inspected the site and met the victims’ families, said the region had experienced two days of continuous rain before the disaster. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the landslide.
“Himachal is a hilly state undergoing rapid infrastructure development—roads, bridges, tunnels—but it’s time to review whether this development model is sustainable,” Agnihotri said, adding that since 2023, natural disasters have caused nearly ₹20,000 crore in damages statewide.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each victim and ₹50,000 for the injured.
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