At least 15 dead in India's northern state after bus falls into gorge

At least 15 people were confirmed to have died after a bus with 29 passengers on board fell into a gorge in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Sunday, an official with the state police confirmed.

"The rescue operation is on and so far we could rescue seven people," an official at the police headquarters in the state told Reuters by phone.

"The incident happened near Damta in Uttarkashi district. The bus was en route to Yamunotri with 29 passengers on board from Panna district in Madhya Pradesh," the official added.

Home Minister Amit Shah said he has spoken to the state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami about the incident and said rescue operations were ongoing with injured were being taken to the nearest hospital.

"The National Disaster Response Force is also reaching the spot soon," he said in a tweet in Hindi.