A landslide in Nepal has swept two bses into the Trishuli River, leaving 63 people missing
At least 63 people were missing in Nepal on Friday when a landslide caused by strong monsoon rains drove two buses off a roadway and into a river, according to officials. One bus was traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur in the Rautahat district of southern Nepal, while the other was on its way to Kathmandu from southern Birgunj.
Dozens of search and rescue teams were examining the scene for survivors of the accident in Chitwan's central region, district administrator Khimananda Bhusal told AFP.
According to Ghanashyam Bhusal, the buses were carrying at least 66 people each, however three passengers were able to escape before colliding into the Trishuli river and are currently being treated at a hospital.
The collision occurred on the Narayanghat-Mugling route, approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Kathmandu, early Friday around 3:30 a.m.
A driver was killed in a second accident on the same route when a boulder struck his bus. He died while being treated at a hospital. In a message on the social networking site X, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his grief over the disaster.
"I direct all agencies of the government, including the home administration, to search for and effectively rescue the passengers," according to him.
Poorly designed roads, poorly maintained automobiles, and irresponsible driving all contribute to deadly collisions in the Himalayan nation.
Road traffic becomes more dangerous during the yearly monsoon season, when rainfall cause landslides and floods across the hilly nation.
According to government estimates, about 2,400 people died on Nepal's roadways in the year ending in April.
In January, a bus traveling from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu crashed into a river, killing 12 passengers and injuring 24 others. Monsoon rains in South Asia from June to September provide relief from the summer heat and are critical for replenishing water supplies, but they also cause extensive death and disaster.
The rainfall is difficult to predict and fluctuates greatly, but experts believe climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more chaotic.Floods, landslides and lightning strikes have killed 88 people across the country since the monsoon began in June, according to police figures.
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