In a tragic incident, at least 13 people were killed and two others injured after a taxi was crushed by massive boulders triggered by a landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district on Friday, officials said.
The accident occurred on the Udaipur–Killar road near Kadu Nallah when the Tata Sumo taxi was travelling through the mountainous stretch. According to officials, a sudden landslide sent huge boulders crashing onto the vehicle, completely crushing it and trapping the passengers inside.
Authorities said the Udaipur–Killar road had been closed on Thursday night following a landslide in the area. As a precaution, the passengers had halted their journey and stayed overnight in Tindi village. After the road was reopened for traffic on Friday, they resumed their journey. However, while passing near Kadu Nallah, another landslide struck, with massive rocks falling directly onto the taxi.
Following the incident, local police, district administration officials and disaster response teams rushed to the accident site and launched an extensive rescue operation. Rescue personnel worked to remove the debris and recover those trapped inside the mangled vehicle.
Officials confirmed that 13 people died in the accident, while two others sustained injuries. The injured were rescued from the wreckage and shifted to a nearby medical facility for treatment. Their condition is yet to be officially disclosed.
The accident has once again highlighted the dangers of travelling through landslide-prone areas during the monsoon season, when continuous rainfall often weakens mountain slopes and increases the risk of rockfalls and landslides across Himachal Pradesh's high-altitude districts.
The district administration is continuing rescue and relief operations at the site. Authorities are also assessing the stability of the surrounding hillside before allowing normal traffic movement on the affected stretch of the Udaipur–Killar road.
Further details, including the identities of the victims and the circumstances leading to the reopening of the road, are awaited as officials continue their investigation.
More details are awaited.
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