At least 36 people were killed and ten injured as a bus carrying forty passengers fell into a deep gorge in the Almora district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand on Monday morning.
Almora’s disaster management officer, Vineet Pal, told Times of India that while 22 people passengers died on the spot, nine others died on the way to hospital.
Officials fear the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue. A section of Indian media, quoting sources, put the toll at 36.
The bus, which was on its way from Naini Danda in Pauri Garhwal district to Ramnagar in adjacent Nainital district, plunged into a 200-metre deep gorge along the Geet Jagir riverbank at around 8:00am local time, Pal said.
Emergency responders, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and medical teams, reached the scene, officials said.
Authorities are investigating whether the accident was caused by a mechanical failure or other factors. The bus is owned by Garhwal Motor Owners Union Ltd.
