Uttarakhand: 12 killed, 13 injured as bus rolls down gorge near Damta

At least 12 people were killed and 13 injured when a private bus in which they were travelling fell into a 150-metre-deep gorge in Uttarkashi district on Sunday. The bus was on its way to Vikas Nagar from Jankichatti in the district when it fell into the gorge near Damta, District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said.

#UPDATE 12 dead, of which 9 bodies have been recovered. Rescue operation underway: Ajay Rautela, DIG Garhwal Range on the bus accident near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today. #Uttarakhand https://t.co/tom3iqDF3K

— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2018

Ten people died on the spot and two succumbed at a nearby hospital, an official said. A search-and-rescue operation by the police with help from area residents is underway, the official said, adding a few bodies could be stuck in bushes.

Four people seriously injured in the accident were flown in a chopper to Dehradun for treatment, he said. 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 and asked the district administration to arrange for the treatment of the injured. 

(With PTI inputs)