A BUS in India fell into a deep Himalayan ravine on Monday, killing at least 36 people and injuring several others, according to a government official.
Photos from rescue teams showed the bus wreckage crushed in thick undergrowth, with its twisted front nearly flattened.
Road accidents are frequent on the winding, mountainous roads of the Himalayan region, often due to poor maintenance and reckless driving on the difficult terrain.
"So far, 36 casualties have been confirmed," said Deepak Rawat, a senior official from Uttarakhand, a northern Indian state.
"Three critically injured passengers were airlifted to the hospital by helicopter."
Volunteers formed a human chain along the steep slopes and across a river to help retrieve the wounded from the wreckage. Bodies were brought out and placed on a truck for transport.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi extended his "deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the unfortunate road accident."
According to Modi’s office, the families of those who died will receive £1,834 as support, while the injured will receive £459.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an investigation into the accident, which took place in the forested hills near Almora town.
Hundreds of people lose their lives in road accidents in India each year.
(With inputs from AFP)
The culture secretary with Shailesh Solanki and Kalpesh Solanki from the Asian Media Group (AMG), publishers of Eastern Eye