At least 14 people died when an Indian-registered passenger bus veered off the highway and plunged into the Marsyangdi River in central Nepal on Friday, as reported by various media outlets.
The bus, which was traveling from Gorakhpur to Kathmandu after departing from the resort town of Pokhara, went off the road in Aaina Pahara, located in the Tanahun district. The vehicle had the number plate UP 53 FT 7623.
So far, 29 passengers have been rescued and transported to local hospitals, although their conditions have not been disclosed.
Mohan Bahadur Khan, Information Officer at the District Police Office in Tanahun, confirmed the number of casualties.
A rescue team consisting of 45 personnel from the Armed Police Force, led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Madhav Paudel, has arrived at the scene to assist with the operation. Additionally, around 35 members from the 23 Battalion in Bhanu, Tanahun, are also participating in the rescue efforts.
According to DSP Dipak Kumar Raya, spokesperson for the District Police Office, the incident occurred around 11:30 AM on Friday.
This accident follows a previous incident last month where two buses carrying 65 passengers were swept away by a landslide into the swollen Trishuli River. The bodies from those buses were carried downstream, with extensive search operations, including a 12-member team from India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), failing to locate the missing buses and many passengers.
So far, five bodies of Indian nationals have been recovered, while two individuals remain missing. The swift currents of Nepal's rivers, exacerbated by recent heavy monsoon rains, have made rescue efforts more challenging. The monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, often leads to significant rainfall and landslides in the mountainous regions of Nepal.
Last month, two passenger buses fell into the Trishuli river due to landslide in Simaltal of Chitwan, due to which dozens of people died.
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