Bus falls into gorge in Uttarakhand's Almora, leaving seven dead and 11 injured
DEHRADUN: A passenger bus travelling from Dwarahat to Ramnagar plunged hundreds of feet into a steep ravine in Uttarakhand's Almora district on Tuesday morning, killing seven people. Eleven others were critically injured in the horrific accident. The bus, carrying 19 passengers, went out of control near Salapani in the Bhikiyainsain area. Eyewitnesses reported that the tragedy struck shortly after the vehicle passed Vinayak. Relief and rescue teams, including police and local administration, rushed to the rugged terrain to reach the spot. The bus slid off the road and disappeared into the gorge within seconds. The sound was terrible, a resident said. Initial reports confirmed that six died at the site. The death toll rose to seven later as rescue operations continued. Local villagers provided immediate assistance in the frantic search for survivors trapped inside the mangled remains of the bus. Almora SSP Devendra Pincha confirmed the situation: Rescue teams have been dispatched to the spot. There are reports of some fatalities. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Bhikiyainsein, Yakshi Arora, and SHO Bhatrojkhan, Avneesh Kumar, spearheaded the on-site operation, coordinating with ambulance services. Many passengers were pinned beneath the twisted metal, an official stated, describing the difficult recovery process. The injured are currently being rushed to Bhikiyainsain Hospital. Authorities are making arrangements to airlift seriously wounded passengers to higher referral centres. The administration has initiated an immediate inquiry into the cause of the accident. Preliminary assumptions suggest that the driver might have lost control on a sharp curve, or a technical fault could be to blame, though the exact cause awaits the official investigation report. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured the affected families of full government support. This is the second major bus tragedy in the Sult area within 14 months. In November 2023, a devastating bus crash near Kupi village in the Sult tehsil claimed the lives of 36 people.
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