Dehradun, Mar 13: In a road accident in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, a bus ferrying 24 passengers fall into a gorge near Totam on Ramnagar-Almora highway. At least 13 commuters were confirmed to be dead.

11 other passengers survived the fatal accident, sustaining injuries. They have been rushed to the nearby hospital.

The rescue operation was underway by the time this report was first published. The State Disaster Response Force and District Police were pressed into action.

The ill-fated bus was travelling from Deghat in Almora to Ramnagar in Nainital district, officials said.

The latest fatal road incident highlights the looming danger on motorists in India. According to a recent Bloomberg report, over 1,50,000 die annually in road accidents, which amounts to approximately 400 per day. The numbers are higher than the US, where 40,000 motorists had died in 2016.

The government had passed a Bill in the Lok Sabha in 2016, proposing stricter penalties for those violating the traffic laws - a move aimed at curbing road accidents. The legislation, however, is yet to receive the approval of Rajya Sabha.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 13, 2018 12:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).