India: Nine dead after landslide causes bridge collapse

Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh - The nine persons who died were tourists travelling in a vehicle

At least nine people died while three were injured in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district on Sunday after a bridge collapsed as a result of boulders rolling down a hill due to a landslide.

According to Saju Ram Rana, Superintendent of Police, Kinnaur district, the nine persons who died were tourists travelling in a vehicle. A rescue team is present on the spot.

“Nine persons died and three are injured after boulders rolled downhill due to landslide in Kinnaur. The Batseri bridge collapsed in the incident. Rescue team present at the spot,” Rana said.

Rocks fell from a hill near Batseri to Sangla Chitkul road. Eleven people, including the driver, were in the tempo traveller. The rest suffered injuries, along with another passer-by who was walking on the road.

“The people sitting in the traveller were from different parts of the country and had come to Kinnaur to visit. Police Home Guards and ITBP personnel have reached the site for rescue operations. The QRT team of Sangla Police is engaged in extracting the dead bodies,” the SP further informed.

Several orchards, vehicles, and houses were also damaged.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur condoled the deaths of the tourists.

“The accident in Kinnaur’s Batseri due to landslide is heart-wrenching. It is very sad that a vehicle carrying tourists came under this, in which nine died and three others also got injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family,” Thakur tweeted.

• India