SHIMLA: t least 18 passengers were killed while three were rescued as a private bus they were travelling in was struck by a massive landslide in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The accident took place in Bhalughat area in Jhandutta assembly segment around 6:30 pm, they said, adding the bus carrying 30-35 passengers was on its way from Marotan to Ghumarwin.

Intermittent rains have been lashing the area since Monday.

So far 18 bodies have been recovered from the debris and three people rescued and sent to hospital, BJP MLA from Jhandutta J R Katwal, who was on the spot, told PTI over the phone.

Police and district administration officials are at the spot and rescue operations are going on in full swing.

Whole mountain came crashing down on the bus, said an eyewitness engaged in the rescue operations.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri have expressed grief over the accident.

CM Sukhu directed the officials to expedite the rescue operations, an official statement said.