NEW DELHI, June 5 (Xinhua) -- As many as 13 people died and five were injured when a passenger bus fell into a deep gorge in India's northern hilly state of Uttarakhand on Sunday evening, a local police official said.

       According to the local police, the bus carrying around 30 people met with the mishap near Damta area of Uttarkashi district, while it was traveling to Yamunotri, the place of origin of river Yamuna.

       "There were around 30 passengers in the bus when it fell off the road. Rescue work is going on. 13 dead bodies have been recovered so far. Five injured passengers have been rescued from the accident site and admitted to a local hospital," said the senior police official.

       The death toll is feared to rise, he added.

       Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness over the loss of lives in the mishap.