At least 12 people died in Uttarakhand on Sunday after a bus carrying 35 passengers fell into a gorge near Damta in Uttarkashi district on the Uttarkashi-Yamunotri highway, Hindustan reported. The bus was travelling from Janki Chatti to the city of Vikasnagar.

Thirteen people were injured in the accident. Four of them with serious injuries were flown by a helicopter to a hospital in Dehradun, PTI reported. Seven people have been rescued so far. Garhwal Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajay Rautela said nine bodies have been recovered, ANI reported.

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District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said two people died after being taken to hospital. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief and asked the district administration to arrange for the treatment of the wounded.

Several accidents have taken place in the state over the past few months. On July 1, at least 48 persons died and 10 were injured when their bus fell into a valley in Pauri Garhwal district. A month later, on August 28, two people died and 34 were wounded when a bus fell into a gorge in Tehri Garhwal district.

In September, five people were killed and 21 injured after a bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Almora district. On October 5, nine passengers were killed and five others injured after a mini-bus fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi.