A devastating landslide struck Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district on the evening of October 7, plunging the tranquil hills of the region back into tragedy and highlighting the mounting climate vulnerability of the Himalayan state.
According to early reports, at least 18 people have lost their lives, with the death toll expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue amid challenging weather and fading daylight. Three survivors were rescued and rushed to local hospitals, some in critical condition.
The incident occurred near the Bhallu Bridge in the Bhalughat area, Jhandutta assembly segment, when torrential rains triggered a massive wall of debris to collapse onto a passing private bus, burying it under tons of mud and rocks.
The bus, en route from Haryana’s Rohtak to Ghumarwin, was carrying approximately 30 to 35 passengers at the time of the disaster.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as the hill “came crashing down” without warning, burying the vehicle almost instantly.
Rescue operations were launched on a war footing, with local police, State Disaster Response Force teams, and civil administration scrambling heavy machinery to the site.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu ordered an all-out mobilisation of resources and has been closely monitoring the situation, expressing his deep sorrow at the loss and promising exhaustive rescue and relief measures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed his condolences and announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
This disaster is the latest chapter in a grim pattern for Himachal Pradesh, a state that has reeled under repeated landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts through the 2024 and 2025 monsoons.
The region’s fragile geology, ramped up construction, and increasingly erratic rainfall, amplified by climate change, have led to mounting casualties and persistent disruption of normal life. Authorities have been urged to urgently review road safety and disaster mitigation infrastructure to protect both locals and the steady stream of tourists drawn to the scenic mountains.