NEW DELHI 

At least 36 people were killed and several others injured after a passenger bus fell into a gorge in the Himalayan Indian state of Uttarakhand on Monday morning, officials said.

State’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the accident took place in the Marchula area of the state's Almora district.

“The district administration has been instructed to carry out relief and rescue operations swiftly,” he wrote on X.

Vineet Pal, a senior official, told reporters that 36 people have died in the accident.

He said some of the injured have been airlifted for specialized treatment.

In a statement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled with the families of the victims and wished speedy recovery to all those injured.