NEPAL: A devastating landslide occurred early Friday on the Madan-Ashrit Highway in Central Nepal, sweeping two buses carrying 63 passengers into the Trishuli River. The disaster has severely hampered search and rescue operations due to the swollen state of the river.

Chief District Officer of Chitwan, Indradev Yadav, reported that the landslide struck around 3:30 am. Both buses, including their drivers, were swept away, with one bus heading to Kathmandu and the other traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur in Rautahat. The Kathmandu-bound Angel bus had 24 people onboard, while the Ganpati Deluxe bus carried 41 passengers.

Nepal’s Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. In a statement on social media platform X, he conveyed his condolences and directed all government agencies, including the home administration, to prioritize the search and rescue efforts. He also acknowledged the widespread damage caused by floods and landslides across various parts of the country.

In the midst of this tragedy, three passengers from the Ganpati Deluxe managed to escape by jumping out of the bus. Superintendent of Police Bhawesh Rimal mentioned that personnel from the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force are on their way to the incident site to assist in rescue operations. However, the ongoing rains have caused additional landslides, blocking traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section and complicating the rescue efforts further.

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