Uttarakhand: At Least One Dead, Several Missing As Bus Carrying 18 People Onboard Falls Into Alaknanda River

A bus carrying 18 passengers veered off the road and fell into the Alakananda river in Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand, leaving at least one dead and several others missing.

Rescue teams from the police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have so far rescued seven people amid ongoing search operations continue at the site.

According to a statement by Police Headquarters spokesperson IG Nilesh Anand Bharane, the bus lost control and plunged into the Alaknanda River in the Gholtir area of Rudraprayag district, India Today reported.

He confirmed that rescue personnel are working on retrieving the passengers, but further details on casualties are still awaited.

"One person has died and seven people injured after an 18-seater bus fell into the Alaknanda river in Gholthir of Rudraprayag district. Teams of SDRF, police and administration are present on the spot for the rescue operation," Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey was quoted as saying by India Today.

Rescue teams from the SDRF, local police and district administration are at the site, though swift currents of the river and rugged terrain are making their efforts difficult.

According to reports, some of the injured have been shifted to hospitals.

Visuals from the spot showed people making a human chain and helping injured passengers up the hill.

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