Kathmandu: Rescuers resumed search operations on Saturday for over 50 missing people in Nepal in two passenger buses that were swept away by a massive landslide into a rain-swollen Trishuli River on Friday morning. The two buses were carrying 65 passengers when it was caught in the path of the landslide in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district.
Divers from Nepal's security forces have joined the search operations now that the rain has stopped. "We are expecting the search operation would be eased further because the water level has receded in comparison to yesterday. Rainfall also has stopped which would further enable us to expedite the search. More than one hundred Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel including divers have been deployed," Bheshraj Rijal, DSP at District Police Office, Chitwan told news agency ANI.
The Nepali Army, Nepal Police and armed police personnel along with deep divers are being mobilised to resume the search operation, according to the Nepal Police. More than 500 security personnel are involved in the search operations, according to a police official.
Seven Indians feared dead in incident
At least seven Indians have been feared killed in the incident on the Madan-Ashrit Highway in Central Nepal into the Trishuli River on Friday (July 12) morning, while more than 50 people are suspected to be missing after the incident. Heavy rains and the rise in Trishuli River's water level have hampered rescue and relief efforts. The seven Indians were identified as Santosh Thakur, Surendra Shahm, Adit Miyaan, Sunil Shah, Shahnawaz Alam and Ansari.
Reports came in earlier that the Kathmandu-bound Angel bus and Ganpati Deluxe, en route to Gaur from the Capital, met with the accident at around 3:30 am at the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district. At least 41 people were travelling on the Ganpati Deluxe and 24 on the bus travelling to the Nepal capital. Three of the passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe bus managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle. Rescue efforts began with over 75 personnel from all three security forces, but heavy rain and high water levels in the Trishuli River hampered search efforts, according to the authorities.
Police personnel from the Nepal Disaster Management Training School, Kurintar, have begun rescue operations. Meanwhile, Debris from landslides at various places has obstructed traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section. Details have been received of 21 passengers travelling from Birgunj to Kathmandu on Angel Deluxe.
Extreme weather in Nepal
Nepal's outgoing Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal posted on X, "I am deeply saddened by the reports of about five dozen passengers that are missing when the buses were washed away by a landslide on the Narayangadh-Muglin road section and the loss of properties due to floods and landslides in different parts of the country. I direct all agencies of the government, including the home administration, to search and effectively rescue the passengers."
All the flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur, Chitwan were cancelled for the day due to persisting rains as rescue workers have started clearing the debris from the landslide. Dozens of people have been killed in Nepal in the past few weeks due to inclement weather-related incidents.
Notably, Nepal is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis and has witnessed multiple extreme weather events over the past decade and a half. Experts say extreme weather events—excessive rainfall in a short period, continuous rains for several days after the monsoon, dry spells, droughts, below-average precipitation, and above-normal winter temperatures—have become more frequent in Nepal.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority estimates that 1.81 million people and 412,000 households will be affected by monsoon this year. Of them, 83,000 households will be directly impacted, and 18,000 families will require rescue due to monsoon-related disasters.
(with inputs from agencies)
