15 killed as landslide hits bus in Himachal's Bilaspur, several trapped; rescue operation on
Shimla (PTI): At least 15 passengers were killed when a private bus was struck by a massive landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district on Tuesday evening, officials said.
The accident took place in Bhalughat area in Jhandutta assembly segment around 6:30 pm, they said, adding the bus carrying 25-30 passengers was on its way from Marotan to Ghumarwin.
Several people are believed to be trapped under the debris while three have been rescued, the officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased while the injured would be given Rs 50,000.
"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," Modi wrote on X.
Intermittent rains have been lashing the area since Monday.
So far 15 people including the driver and the conductor of the bus have died while three rescued alive were sent to hospital, BJP MLA from Jhandutta J R Katwal, who was on the spot, told PTI over the phone.
Police and district administration officials are at the spot and rescue operations are going on in full swing, said Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Sandeep Dhawal, maintaining that 15 bodies have been recovered from the rubble.
Whole mountain came crashing down on the bus, said an eyewitness engaged in the rescue operations.
Union health minister J P Nadda, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri have expressed grief over the accident.
CM Sukhu directed the officials to expedite the rescue operations, an official statement said.
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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.
