At least seven Indians have gone missing missing in the Nepal twin bus accident that occurred early on Friday, reported news agency PTI. A landslide swept away two buses, carrying around 65 passengers, into the Trishuli River. The accident occurred on the Madan-Ashrit Highway in central Nepal. One of the buses was heading from Kathmandu to Gaur in Rautahat. The other was headed to Kathmandu from Birgunj.
The Nepali Army, which is carrying out the search & rescue operation, said the Nepal bus accident occurred in Bharatpur on the Narayangarh-Muglin Road section. "After receiving the news of the accident, Chitwan-based forces, including divers, have been deployed to carry out the rescue operation with the help of other security agencies and locals," the Nepali Army said in an X post.
The particular stretch where the accident occurred had been blocked by landslides last month. It was cleared and reopened just 20 days ago. However, it was again blocked by landslides last week. It opened to vehicular traffic only on July 9. Nepal's Rautahat Police chief SP Dilip Ghimire is attempting to contact the families of the missing people and deceased.
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has ordered an urgent search and rescue operation to look for survivors.
Dahal said in an X post, "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."