Indradev Yadav, the Chief District Officer of Chitwan, informed ANI that the buses were on the Madan-Ashrit Highway when the landslide occurred, causing them to veer off the road and into the Trishuli River. The buses, which were the Kathmandu-bound Angel bus and Ganpati Deluxe, were carrying a total of 63 people, including the drivers. The incident took place at approximately 3:30 am, and despite the ongoing heavy rainfall, a search operation is currently being conducted at the site to locate the missing buses.
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ instructed all government agencies to conduct search and rescue operations for the passengers.
The Nepali Army released a video of the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
In the meantime, all flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur have been canceled for the day due to the unfavorable weather conditions, as reported by ANI.
Since the beginning of the monsoon season, a total of 62 individuals have lost their lives, and 90 others have been injured in rain-related incidents in Nepal, according to information provided by the home ministry officials last week.
Out of the total casualties, 34 people lost their lives in landslides, while 28 individuals died in floods caused by continuous rainfall. Seven people are currently missing as a result of these natural disasters. The heavy rains have led to significant property damage, with 121 houses being inundated and 82 others being damaged. As a consequence of these natural calamities, a total of 1,058 households have been displaced across the country.