At least 65 individuals, including seven Indian nationals, are feared missing following a landslide in Nepal that swept two buses carrying 65 passengers into the swollen Trishuli River at Simaltal along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district, according to reports from the myRepublica news portal.
On Friday, a landslide on the Madan-Ashrit Highway in central Nepal swept two buses carrying approximately 63 passengers into the Trishuli River.
ANI reported, citing officials on the site of the incident, that the bus is assumed to have been swept down to the swollen Trishuli River, which is hampering the search and rescue operation.
Indradev Yadav, Chief District Officer, Chitwan told ANI, “As per the preliminary information both the buses were carrying a total of 63 people including the bus drivers. The landslide swept the buses at around 3:30 am. We are at the incident site and a search operation is underway. Incessant rain is hampering our efforts to search for the missing buses.”
The official said the landslide swept the Kathmandu-bound Angel bus and Ganpati Deluxe, heading from Kathmandu to Rautahat's Gaur. As per the preliminary reports of the officials, there were 24 people onboard the bus heading to Kathmandu, and 41 people were travelling in another bus.
Three of the passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe bus managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Details have been received of 21 passengers travelling from Birgunj to Kathmandu on Angel Deluxe. According to the latest information, police have said that there were seven Indian nationals among the passengers on the bus, myRepublica reported.
Taking to X, Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal stated, “I am deeply saddened by the reports of about five dozen passengers that are missing when bus was washed away by a landslide on the Narayangadh- Muglin road section and the loss of properties due to floods and landslides in different parts of the country. I direct all agencies of the government, including the home administration, to search and effectively rescue the passengers.”
All the flights from Kathmandu to Chitwan's Bharatpur have been cancelled for the day as the weather remains grim.
Three passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle. Superintendent of Police Bhawesh Rimal informed that Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel are heading towards the incident sites for rescue operations. Debris from landslides at various places has obstructed traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section.
(With inputs from agencies)
