Dozens missing after landslide sweeps away 2 buses in central Nepal
Image credit: Nepal Armed Police
A landslide caused by heavy rains swept two buses carrying over sixty passengers along the Madan-Ashrit highway in central Nepal early July 12, 2024. Latest reports suggest 3 survivors and 51 missing.
A landslide swept away 2 buses along the Madan-Ashrit highway in central Nepal at around 03:30 local time (LT) on July 12, 2024. The landslide was caused by the heavy rains hitting the Himalayan nation for the past month.
“As per the preliminary information, both the buses were carrying a total of 63 people, including the bus drivers,” said Indradev Yadav, chief district officer of Chitwan.
The buses were swept into the swollen Trishuli River causing over 60 people to go missing, according to a report by The Times of India.
3 people managed to survive after having swum to safety but rescue personnel haven’t found any traces of the buses, which are thought to have been swept downstream and submerged by the fast-flowing river.
The heavy monsoon made the river swollen, and the water took up a muddy brown color making it harder to detect the wreckage.
Au moins 66 personnes sont portées disparues dans le centre du #Népal après un glissement de terrain causé par la mousson qui a emporté deux bus dans une rivière.
— FRANCE 24 Français (@France24_fr) July 12, 2024
Des dizaines de sauveteurs ratissaient le site de l'accident à la recherche de survivants pic.twitter.com/0q3NlLXirq
नेपाल : लैंडस्लाइड से त्रिशुली नदी में बहीं 2 यात्री बसें, 60 से ज्यादा लोग लापता; सेंट्रल नेपाल में मदन-अश्रित हाइवे पर हुआ हादसा#Nepal #NepalBusAccident #NepalLandslide #Landslides #Trishuli #PeoplesUpdate pic.twitter.com/GzTO9mUOj9
— Peoples Samachar (@psamachar1) July 12, 2024
Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane told parliament that 51 passengers were missing and more than 500 rescue personnel have been assigned to the search operation, according to the latest report by the Associated Press
The relentless rain and more landslides are hampering the rescue operations.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called for all government agencies to join in the search and rescue operation.
“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. I direct all agencies of the government, including the home administration, to search and effectively rescue the passengers,” said the prime minister in his recent post on X.
References:
1 2 buses swept by landslide on Nepal highway, 6 Indians among 60 people missing – TOI – July 12, 2024
2 2 buses carrying more than 50 people were swept into a river by a landslide in Nepal- AP – July 12, 2024
3 Dozens missing as landslide sweeps buses into river in Nepal – BBC – July 12, 2024
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