At least 36 people died following a bus carrying 42 passengers lost control and fell into a gorge near Marchula in Uttarakhand’s Almora on Monday morning. Rescue operations are underway. According to the media reports, a 42-seater bus was on its way to Ramnagar from Kirath of Nainidanda when it went out of control and fell into the ditch near Marchula Band. According to initial reports, the accident was so severe that many people were thrown out of the bus and fell on the other side.
Almora Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha said that the death toll is expected to rise. Salt Sub-District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar said that some of the passengers have been rescued and admitted to hospital. Notably, the accident was reported to authorities at around 9 am by the passengers who had fallen from the bus during the incident.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each for the injured, according to the media reports. He directed the Commissioner of the Kumaon division to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
“Very sad news has been received about the casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. The district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X in Hindi.
“The local administration and SDRF teams at the accident site are working rapidly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health center for treatment. Instructions have also been given to airlift seriously injured passengers if required,” he added in his post.
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