Shimla, October 8: A terrible landslide caused by heavy rain slammed the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday night. At least 18 persons died when huge stones smashed a private bus in the Balughat area of Jhanduta subdivision. The bus was going from Marottan to Ghumariwin with about 28 to 30 people on board when the accident happened at 6:30 PM.
Officials said that 18 dead have been found so far in the wreckage of the bus, which was entirely crushed by heavy debris and stones tumbling from the slope. The tragedy happened near the village of Bhalu, which is close to Barthi. It happened after it had been raining all day. On October 7, Bilaspur got 12.7 mm of rain, which probably made the mountain slope less stable, leading to the landslide.
Saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 7, 2025
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next…
Rescue efforts are going now in tough terrain.
As soon as the disaster happened, rescue teams made up of people from the local government, police, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) hurried to the scene. Operations went on late into the night, even if things were hard.
JCB machines were used to clear the rocks and debris that were blocking the way. At least three people who were on the plane were retrieved alive from the wreckage and sent to a hospital in Berthin for treatment.
Mukesh Agnihotri, the Deputy Chief Minister, said that 18 persons had perished so far.
“So far 18 are deceased. He said, “We are still checking the exact number of passengers on board.”
PM Modi and CM Sukhu both express their sadness and offer help.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was very sad about the deaths in the Bilaspur bus crash. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sent out a message saying that the Prime Minister was “saddened by the mishap” and that the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would give ₹2 lakh to the family of the deceased.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also sent his sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and promised them all support from the state administration.
He said, “The state government is firmly with the families affected during this difficult time and will do everything it can to help.” He then prayed for the souls of the dead to rest in peace.
The Chief Minister has been in touch with the district administration all the while and told them to speed up the rescue and relief efforts. He also told the authorities to make sure that injured people are sent to local hospitals right away and given the right medical care.
“I am always watching the situation from Shimla,” CM Sukhu said.
Himachal’s Hill Districts are still at danger of landslides.
The sad event once again shows how landslides are becoming more likely in Himachal Pradesh, especially during the monsoon and post-monsoon months. Frequent rain and weak mountain slopes have caused districts like Bilaspur, Mandi, and Kullu more likely to be hit by these kinds of natural calamities.
As the rain keeps falling in the area, officials have told travelers and locals to stay away from landslide-prone areas unless they really need to.