Nepal landslide twin bus accident: Search operations called off with 57 still missing; one Indian among 5 bodies found

As many as five bodies, including that of an Indian national, have been recovered, while over 50 people remain missing after two buses were swept into a swollen river by a mudslide on July 12 in Nepal's Chitwan district.

Rescuers in Nepal on July 14 found the body of one person taking the death toll to five. The landslide happened in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district.

Two passenger buses carrying 65 people, including seven Indians, were carried away into the rain-swollen Trishuli River at around 3:30 am local time on July 12. Three people were able to swim to safety soon after the incident.

Continued heavy rain in the area has stopped the search operation. The rescue workers had been searching for the wreckage of a second bus for over 50 hours.

Nepal Armed Police Force, involved in the operation, told Education Post that the attempt to look for survivors looks bleak.

Currently, the depth of the river is over 25 feet. The bodies will likely come afloat in India.

Meanwhile, the identity of three dead, including that of the Indian national has been revealed while the bodies of two others are yet to be identified, an official said.

The body recovered on the morning of July 13 from 50 km away from the accident site was identified as that of Rishi Pal Shahi, 40, from Bihar, police said.

Besides Shahi, the other missing Indian nationals were identified as Santosh Thakur, Surendra Sah, Adit Miyaan, Sunil, Shahnawaj Alam, and Ansari.

There were 24 people, onboard a bus heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj and another bus heading to Gaur from Kathmandu was carrying 30 passengers.

The landslide accompanied by muddy water, triggered by heavy rain, swept the two buses into the river.
Over 500 security personnel, including from the Nepali Army and Nepal Police, along with deep divers were the part of search operation. The security personnel are also using motor boats and drones for the rescue operation, police said.

The Armed Police Force (APF) deployed a water drone to find the missing buses in the Trishuli River, a local news portal reported.

Nepal is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis. The country has witnessed multiple extreme weather events over the past decade and a half.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority predicts that 1.81 million people and 412,000 houses will be affected by the monsoon this year.

Monsoon-related disasters in Nepal will have a direct impact on 83,000 homes, with 18,000 families seeking rescue.

Rohit Wadhwaney in Kathmandu contributed to the story.