According to media reports, at least 14 people were killed after an Indian-registered passenger bus plunged into the Marsyangdi River in central Nepal on Friday (August 23, 2024).
The bus, with the number plate UP 53 FT 7623, was heading from Gorakhpur to Kathmandu when it veered off the highway in Aaina Pahara in the Tanahun district. So far, 29 passengers have been rescued from the bus.
Information Officer at the District Police Office, Tanahu, Mohan Bahadur Khan confirmed that 14 people lost their lives in the accident, while 29 have been sent to the hospital. The condition of the rescued passengers is currently unknown.
A rescue team led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Madhav Paudel from the Armed Police Force Nepal Disaster Management Training School is conducting rescue operations at the accident site. Additionally, 35 Armed Police Force personnel from no 23 Battalion, Bhanu, Tanahun, are involved in the rescue efforts.
The bus fell into the Marsyangdi River at around 11:30 a.m. on Friday. Last month, two buses carrying 65 passengers were swept away by a landslide into the Trishuli River in Nepal, with search operations still ongoing to locate the missing buses and passengers.
The monsoon season in Nepal brings heavy rains from June to September, often causing landslides in the mountainous region. The fast-flowing rivers, exacerbated by heavy monsoon downpours, make search and rescue operations challenging.
