Bhubaneswar, Apr 18 (IANS): At least 30 people were killed and eight injured when a bus carrying over 40 artistes of an opera team fell down a 300-feet gorge in Odisha's Deogarh district on Sunday evening, officials said.

Fire services DG Binay Behera said 27 bodies had been recovered from the spot during the rescue operations while three people died while being rushed to the district headquarters hospital.

The bus of the Bharati Gananatya opera party was returning to Remta in Bargarh district from Deogarh while fell into the gorge off the Tilaebani Gaelo ghat, Deogarh Superintendent of Police Sarah Sharma told media persons.

Rescue operations have been intensified with the help of fire officials, Odisha Disaster Response Force (ODRAF), police personnel and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers, she informed.

Senior police and administrative officials were present at the spot to supervise the operations, Sharma said.

Director General of Police K.B. Singh told the media that eight critically injured people have been admitted in district hospital. He said rescue operations were on to find out more people trapped inside the bus.

The victims are yet to be identified. The district administration has issued two helpline numbers.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident and directed officials to speed up rescue operation.