Khammam: Ten passengers died and over 19 people were injured when the driver of a private bus (AP26 TC 9512) lost control and drove into the Nagarjunasagar canal at Nayakangudem in Kusumanchi mandal of Khammam district, in the wee hours of Monday.

The bus was on its way from Hyderabad to Kakinada via Khammam when the bus driver is said to have lost control of the vehicle.

The bus was on its way from Hyderabad to Kakinada via Khammam when it rammed into the retaining wall and fell 30 feet into the canal. There were 30 passengers including crew at the time of the mishap. Rescuers managed to pull out 18 passengers when reports last came-in. They also requisitioned two cranes to pull out the bus from the canal, which currently has over four feet of water. Three 108 ambulances shifted the injured to Khammam Government Hospital for preliminary care. Police stated that one of the injured died while being shifted to hospital. The death toll in the accident is expected to rise, police said. The driver of the ill-fated bus is absconding and efforts are on to nab him, they said.

The ill-fated bus being fished out from the canal.

Meanwhile, TRS leader Thummala Nageswara Rao is monitoring the situation and directed officials to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured. District Collector DS Lokesh Kumar and other officials have reached the accident site and are supervising rescue operations.

The Andhra Pradesh government announced ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakhs to the family of the deceased in the tragic accident. YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is expected to arrive in Khammam district, on Monday, to console the victims of the bus accident.