A Garwal Motors bus plunged into a gorge near Kupi in Ramnagar, along the Pauri-Almora border in Uttarakhand, on Monday. 23 are reportedly dead and 20 are wounded. Search and rescue operations are currently underway.
The accident occurred near Kupi in Ramnagar at the Pauri-Almora border when a Garwal Motors Users' 42-seater bus fell into a gorge.
VIDEO | A passenger bus fell into a gorge near Ramnagar, Uttarakhand early morning today. Several casualties feared. More details awaited. (Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/pS7Ct8NhWI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 4, 2024
The bus was going from Garhwal to Kumaon when the accident took place at Marchula in Almora, District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said. State Disaster Response Force teams have been dispatched to the accident site to carry out search and rescue operations.
The casualties may go up as there were around 40 passengers in the bus when it fell into a 200-metre deep gorge, Pandey said. BSF women rafting team reached Har Ki Pauri during 53-day Ganga Yatra.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident.
"Received very sad news of casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. The district administration has been instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations swiftly," he said on X.
"The local administration and SDRF teams are working swiftly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health centre for treatment. Instructions have also been given to airlift the seriously injured passengers, if required," he said.