Nepal: Bus swept into river, over 60 people missing

Senior Chitwan district official Indradev Yadav confirmed that the two buses were carrying a total of 63 people, including the driver. The landslide at around 3:30 a.m. swept the buses into the river. According to Yadav, a search and rescue operation is underway. Nepalese police and the Armed Police Force are coordinating the rescue operation as continuous rains are hampering the search efforts.

The two buses are believed to have been swept away into the Trishuli River. The buses, Angel and Ganpati Deluxe, were travelling from Kathmandu to Gaur in Rautahat. Police chief Bhawesh Rimal said three passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle.

All flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur in Chitwan district were cancelled for the day as the weather remained bad.

Addressing the media, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed grief over reports of dozens of passengers missing after buses were swept away and property damage due to floods and landslides in various parts of the country. He directed all government agencies, including local administrations, to conduct effective search and rescue operations.