Himachal Pradesh Landslide Tragedy: Death Toll Rises to 16 in Bilaspur Bus Accident

The death toll from the landslide in Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, rose to 16 on Wednesday morning (October 8, 2025) following the recovery of a child’s body, officials confirmed. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening (October 7) when a massive portion of a mountain collapsed onto a moving private bus in the Bhalughat area near Berthin at around 6:40 p.m.

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Rescue Operations Underway

Search and rescue operations resumed on Wednesday after being suspended overnight due to poor visibility and continued mud sliding. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local authorities, police, home guards, fire services, and volunteers are engaged in a manual search, assisted by dog squads and heavy machinery to clear debris.

Bilaspur SP Sandeep Dhawal confirmed the latest toll, stating that authorities are working to identify all recovered bodies. The deceased include Naksh, Aarav, Sanjeev, Vimla, Kamlesh, Kanta Devi, Anjana, Bakshi Ram, Narender Sharma, Krishan Lal, Chuni Lal, Rajnish, Sonu, Sharif Khan, Praveen Kumar, and the child found on Wednesday morning, whose identity is yet to be confirmed.

Among the victims were four members of a single family—the wives of two brothers and two children of one sibling—who were returning from a function. Two surviving children, Arushi and Shaurya, received treatment at AIIMS Bilaspur and have since returned home.

"My wife and two children, and my brother’s wife and their two children, were returning home from a function when the tragedy struck. Only my children are alive now," said Raj Kumar, father of the surviving children.

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Cause and Government Response

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who visited the site on Tuesday night, stated that the landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall over the past two days, making the young mountain slopes unstable. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident.

Agnihotri highlighted the challenges of rapid development in hilly regions, noting, "Himachal is a hilly state with young mountains, where construction of big roads, bridges, and tunnels is taking place. There is a need to review whether the present development model is sustainable." Since 2023, the state has suffered ₹20,000 crore in losses from natural disasters.

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National Condolences and Relief Measures

The tragedy drew condolences from national leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda, as well as Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

PM Modi announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured will receive ₹50,000.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed officials to expedite rescue operations and ensure prompt support to victims’ families.