Kathmandu: Rescuers in Nepal have so far recovered 19 bodies, including that of four Indians, after two buses were swept into a swollen river following a landslide in the Chitwan district last week, news agency PTI reported citing its sources on Thursday. The landslide happened in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district on Friday.
Out of 55 people, three people swam to safety soon after the incident. Earlier on Monday, the Nepalese authorities had claimed there were 65 people on two buses and added "There was no hope of any survival". "There are no chances of finding survivors. Our focus is on recovering bodies," Bhesh Raj Rijal, a senior police official in Chitwan district told news agency Reuters.
VIDEO: Nepal searches for survivors after landslide sweeps buses into river
Seven Indians were travelling on the bus
Twenty-four people, including seven Indian nationals, were travelling on the first bus heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj. Another bus heading to Gaur from Kathmandu was carrying 30 people. The two buses plunged into the Trishuli River when heavy mudslides hit them. Bodies of nineteen people have been recovered from the Simaltal twin bus accident site so far. Out of 19 bodies, four corpses belong to Indian nationals, according to the Armed Police Force sources.
Five male dead bodies are yet to be identified. The local authorities in Nepal are coordinating with the Indian authorities in Bihar and UP to carry out rescue work. The search and rescue works continued on Thursday too, according to the police. On Wednesday, the dead body of Indian national Vivek Kumar, 27, was recovered during the search carried out by security personnel. Earlier, three dead bodies belonging to Rishi Pal Shah, 28, Jay Prakash Thakur, 30 and Sajad Ansari, 23, were recovered from the accident site.
Two buses were washed away down the Trishuli River
The authorities have used high-quality sonar cameras, powerful magnets and water drones to assist in the rescue works. The bodies from the two buses were washed away down the Trishuli River as far as 100 kilometres.
Nepal's rivers are generally fast-flowing due to the mountainous terrain. Heavy monsoon downpours in the past few days have swollen the waterways and turned them murky brown, making it even more difficult to see the wreckage. Monsoon season brings heavy rains to Nepal from June to September, often triggering landslides in the mountainous Himalayan country.
(With inputs from agency)
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