14 killed as bus falls into 150-metre deep gorge in Uttarakhand
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), Nov 18: Fourteen persons were killed and as many injured Sunday when the bus in which they were travelling fell into a 150-metre deep gorge in Uttarkashi district, an official said.
The private bus was on its way to Vikas Nagar from Jankichatti, near the Himalayan shrine of Yamunotri, when it fell into the gorge near Damta, District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said.
Twelve people died at the spot and two succumbed at a hospital, he said.
A search and rescue operation by police with the help of locals is underway, the official said, adding that some bodies could be stuck in the bushes.
Six people seriously injured in the accident were flown in a chopper to AIIMS, Rishikesh and Jolly Grant Hospital in Dehradun for treatment, Chauhan said.
Eight others were also brought to Dehradun, he added.
The bus, after plunging into the gorge, landed a few metres away from the Yamuna river, Chauhan said.
The number of fatalities could have been higher if the bus had fallen into the river, he said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident and asked the district administration to make all arrangements for the treatment of the injured.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
