Kinnaur landslide: Six more bodies recovered; toll rises to 23
Six more bodies were recovered from the site of the landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, taking the death toll to 23 on the fourth day of rescue and search operations on Saturday, a senior official said. State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said six bodies had been retrieved from the rubble at Chaura village on National Highway 5 in Nichar Tehsil.
Rescue operation for nine missing persons is underway: Mokhta
"The search and rescue operation for the rest of the nine missing persons is underway," he added. Meanwhile, keeping in view the continuous falling of shooting stones at the sliding point, Nichar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manmohan Singh ordered to restrict all types of vehicles at this point for the safety of the public from 9 pm to 9 am.
Two people were injured after falling stones hit their bus
In his order issued on Thursday, he stated that the station house officer of Bhawanagar Police Station would ensure deputing of police force at both ends of the site. On Friday evening, two people were injured after stones falling down a mountainside hit their bus near the area. In the meantime, Mokhta said search and rescue operations resumed again on Saturday around 6 am.
SUV and its passengers haven't been traced so far
"An SUV and its passengers feared buried under the rubble could not be traced so far," he said, adding that it might be possible that the vehicle rolled down with the debris. The rescue operation is being carried out jointly by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and members of local police and home guards.
On the day of the incident, 10 bodies were recovered
On the day of the incident, 10 bodies were recovered and 13 people were rescued. Earlier on Wednesday, eight bodies were found trapped in a Tata Sumo taxi during the search and rescue operation. Two cars had also been recovered in damaged condition on Wednesday.
On Thursday, four bodies were found; three on Friday
On Thursday, four bodies were found from the landslide site, while three were taken out on Friday. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had informed the state assembly after visiting the spot on Thursday that 16 people were still missing. An HRTC bus, which along with other vehicles, was buried under the debris, was found in a badly damaged condition on Thursday.
A truck and the driver's body were also recovered
According to the officials, a truck was also found, which had rolled down toward a riverside due to stones falling down a mountainside, and the truck driver's body was recovered.
