Two buses swept away in Nepal river; search and rescue ops launched for passengers
Jul 12, 2024
Kathmandu [Nepal], July 12 : Nepal Police and Armed Force 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.
Police personnel from the Nepal Disaster Management Training School, Kurintar, have commenced rescue operations.
"45 personnel from the Armed Police Force Nepal's 17th Batallion Chitwan and 25 individuals, including 7 divers from the Disaster Management Training School, are mobilized at the accident scene," stated DSP Shailendra Thapa, Co-Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force told ANI over phone.
As per preliminary reports of the officials, there were 24 people onboard 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 Aarmy 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."
