Champawat, Feb 22 (IANS): At least 14 wedding guests were killed when a bus fell into a gorge in the Danda area of Uttarakhand's Champawat district on Tuesday.

After getting the information of the accident that occurred at around 3.20 a.m., police and rescue team rushed to the spot and pulled out 14 bodies from the gorge.

Two seriously injured persons, including the bus driver, were rushed to a district hospital.

The guests were returning after attending the marriage of Kankai resident Laxman Singh's son Manoj Singh in Panchmukhi dharamshala in Tanakpur.

Most of the deceased hail from Danda and Katauthi village of Kankai and are relatives of Laxman Singh.

The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

PM condoles loss of lives in Uttarakhand road accident

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in a road accident in Champawat, Uttarakhand.

He also announced an ex-gratia from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the victims.

"The accident in Champawat, Uttarakhand is heart-wrenching. I express my condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this accident. Local administration is carrying out relief and rescue work," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting PM Modi.

"Prime Minister Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to an accident in Uttarakhand. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," it added.

At least a dozen people died after the vehicle in which they were travelling fell into a gorge in Champawat district of Uttarakhand.

The accident took place near Sukhidhang Reetha Sahib Road early Tuesday morning. It is learnt that two injured persons have been taken to a hospital.