63 Missing As Landslide Sweeps Two Buses Into Trishuli River In Nepal; Kathmandu-Bharatpur Flights Cancelled

In a tragic incident early this morning, a massive landslide on the Madan-Ashrit Highway swept two buses carrying an estimated 63 passengers into the Trishuli River. The disaster occurred in the central region of Nepal, around 3:30 am amid heavy rainfall in the region. 

As per the officials, the landslide swept the vehicle named Angel bus was enroute to Rautahat's Gaur from Kathmandu had 24 people onboard. The other one named Ganpati Deluxe was carrying 41 passengers. 

Following the incident, all flights from Kathmandu to Chitwan's Bharatpur has been cancelled for the day as the weather remains grim, reported ANI. 

Three passengers of the Ganpati Deluxe bus managed to escape by jumping from the vehicle before it was swept away by a massive landslide in central Nepal. According to Superintendent of Police Bhawesh Rimal, personnel from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are en route to the incident site to conduct rescue operations. The landslide has also caused debris to obstruct traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section, further complicating rescue efforts. 

Indradev Yadav, the Chief District Officer of 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," Yadav confirmed to ANI.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ expressed his deep regrets over the landslide. In a post on ‘X’ he wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of nearly five dozen passengers and the loss of property due to floods and landslides in different parts of the country when a bus was washed away by a landslide on the Narayangadh-Muglin road section.” 

He had informed all government agencies, including the home administration, to do an extensive search and rescue the passengers. 

नारायणगढ-मुग्लिन सडकखण्डको सिमतालमा पहिरोले बस बगाउँदा झण्डै पाँच दर्जन यात्रु बेपत्ता एवं देशका विभिन्न भागमा बाढी पहिरोका कारण भएको धनजनको क्षतिप्रति गहिरो दुख व्यक्त गर्दछु। यात्रुहरूको खोजी एवं प्रभावकारी उद्धारका लागि गृह प्रशासन लगायत सरकारका सबै निकायलाई निर्देशित गर्दछु। —  Comrade Prachanda (@cmprachanda) July 12, 2024