Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh): A Haridwar-bound bus got stuck in the strong currents of the Kotwali river as its water level has risen significantly in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor on Saturday following which authorities swung into action and rescued all the passengers.
Around 50 people were trapped inside the bus. The incident left the passengers panic-stricken and some of them climbed to the roof of the bus, shouting for help. After getting information, the Mandawali police reached the spot along with rescue teams from Haridwar and Bijnor.
The rescue operation was launched immediately and all the passengers were evacuated. In order to prevent the bus from overturning, a crane was placed on the bridge and used in the operation, officials said. However, the strong currents of the river posed a big challenge for the rescue team.
The bus had left Bijnor's Najibabad depot at around 8 am and was heading for Haridwar. Due to incessant rainfall and flood-like situation in adjoining areas, the water level rose in Kotwali river located along the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. While passing through the stretch, the bus suddenly got stuck in the water.
No casualty or injury has been reported, said SP City Praveen Ranjan Singh. He said that a bus got stuck in the strong currents of the river. The passengers were evacuated with the help of a JCB machine from the bridge, Singh added.
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Several areas have been inundated due to heavy rains. Nearly 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh are facing a flood-like situation. According to official records, 46,830 people from Bijnor, Agra, Badaun, Shamli, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar, Mathyura, Saharanpur and others have been affected. The weather office has predicted that the rainfall will continue for a few more days.
