Two buses swept away in Nepal river, search and rescue ops launched for 63 missing passengers

KATHMANDU: The Nepal police and armed forces, along with other security forces, have launched search and rescue operations after a landslide on the Madan-Ashrit Highway in Nepal early Friday morning swept two buses carrying 63 people into the Trishuli river.

The incident, involving the Kathmandu-bound Angel bus and Ganpati Deluxe, which was headed from Kathmandu to Rautahat’s Gaur, occurred around 3:30 am amid heavy downpour in the region. At least five dozen people are suspected to be missing after a landslide along the Madan-Ashrit Highway in Central Nepal

Police personnel from the Nepal Disaster Management Training School, Kurintar, have commenced rescue operations. 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”.

“About 45 personnel from the Armed Police Force Nepal’s 17th Batallion Chitwan and 25 individuals, including seven divers from the Disaster Management Training School, are mobilized at the accident scene”, stated DSP Shailendra Thapa, co-spokesperson of the Armed Police Force over phone.

As per preliminary reports of the officials, there were 24 people on board the bus that was heading to Kathmandu and 41 people were travelling in the other bus. Three of the passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle.

Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel are heading towards the incident sites for rescue operations, Superintendent of Police Bhawesh Rimal informed. Debris from landslides at various places has obstructed traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section.

In a post on X, Nepal’s Army stated, “On the 28th of Ashadh, Chitwan District, Bharatpur-29 Narayangadh-Muglin road section, after receiving the news that the buses carrying passengers had collapsed in Simaltal, Chitwan-based forces including divers have been deployed to carry out the rescue operation with the help of other security agencies and locals”.

All the flights from Kathmandu to Chitwan’s Bharatpur has been cancelled for the day as the weather remains grim (ANI)