The death toll from a bus crash in central India on February 16 has risen to 51 as more bodies were discovered today (February 17).

The incident took place in the Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh.

Footage shows police officials and rescue staff recovering the bodies of the passengers trapped inside and transferring them to a vehicle through a rescue boat. Panic ensues among the locals as they cluster the entire region to witness the terrible occurrence.

Over 54 passengers were on board when the bus sank into the 22-feet canal. The police and a team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been conducting the rescue operation. The bus was heading to Satna from Sidhi when the accident occurred at around 7 in the morning.

The bus operator, Balendra Vishwakarma, changed the direction and took the vehicle on a new route that was seven kilometers (4.3 miles) long due to a traffic jam. However, when the accident occurred, the driver saved his life by swimming across the canal. Moreover, he was apprehended by the authorities.

Authorities believe that the bus lost control as there were over 54 passengers seated in the transport instead of 32.

Following the incident, the Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, has announced a compensation of INR 500,000 (USD $6,871) each to the family members of the deceased.

At least 47 passengers were killed, and several went missing after a bus fell into a canal in central India's Madhya Pradesh on February 16.

The incident took place in the Sidhi district.

Video shows police officials and rescue staff recovering the bodies of the passengers trapped inside and transferring them to a vehicle through a rescue boat. Panic ensues among the locals as they cluster the entire region to witness the terrible occurrence.

Over 54 passengers were on board when the bus sank into a 22-feet canal. The police and a team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been conducting the rescue operation. The bus was heading to Satna from Sidhi when the accident occurred at around 7 in the morning.

Following this, an excavator reached the spot after four hours and pulled the bus out of the canal. There were 12 students on board to give a railway exam along with other passengers.

The bus operator, Balendra Vishwakarma, changed the direction and took the vehicle on a new route that was seven kilometers (4.3 miles) long due to a traffic jam. However, when the accident occurred, the driver saved his life by swimming across the canal. Moreover, he was apprehended by the authorities.

The death toll has reached 47 so far. Furthermore, 7 people have been rescued from the submerged bus and the officials have been trying to locate more people. The authorities believe that the bus lost control as there were over 54 passengers seated in the transport instead of 32.

Following the incident, the Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, has announced a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh (USD 6,871) each to the family members of the deceased.