At least 44 people died and several were injured when a bus fell into a 200-metre deep gorge in the Indian hill state of Uttarakhand on Sunday, police said.
The accident took place on a winding hill road in Pauri Garhwal district, local police official Sanjay Singh said.
The bus was carrying an estimated 55 to 60 passengers. Several women and children were confirmed to be among the dead as rescue operations continued, Singh said.
‘The cause of the accident is not confirmed but according to reports we are receiving from the site, the driver lost control while taking a bend,’ Singh, who is based at the district headquarters in Pauri town, said.
Most of the victims were local people travelling between Bhoa and Ramnagar towns.
The National Disaster Response Force was helping police with rescue operations, NDTV news channel reported, and a helicopter was being used to airlift the injured to hospitals nearby.
India has the highest number of traffic fatalities worldwide, with an average of around 135,000 people dying per year on the country's roads.
Common causes are bad roads, non-roadworthy vehicles and reckless driving. India's hill roads are particularly prone to accidents during the rainy monsoon season.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (2,900 dollars) for the kin of the deceased and 50,000 rupees each for the injured.
‘Extremely saddened by the bus accident in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand ... Rescue operations are under way and authorities are providing all possible assistance at the accident site,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted n Twitter.
