At least 14 dead after Indian bus plunges into Nepal river

An Indian passenger bus with 40 people onboard plunged into Nepal's Marsyangdi river in Tanahun district on Friday, local police confirmed, marking second such incident in just more than a month.

The tragedy has left at least 14 people dead, as per Kumar Neupane, Spokesperson for the Armed Police Force.

A team of 45 Armed Police Force personnel, led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Madhav Paudel from the Armed Police Force Nepal Disaster Management Training School, has reached the accident site and is conducting the rescue operation.


The bus from Uttar Pradesh was enroute Kathmandu from Pokhara.

“The bus bearing number plate UP FT 7623 plunged into the river and is lying on the bank of the river,” confirmed Tanahun DSP Deepkumar Raya.

The vehicle entered Rupandehi in Nepal on August 20 through the Belahiya check-point near Gorakhpur with an 8-day permit.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner has said that efforts are underway to establish contact to find out if anyone from the state is involved in it.

Similar mishap happened in July

Last month, a landslide had swept two passenger buses carrying more than 50 people into Trishuli river in central Nepal.

While India's neighbour has fast-flowing rivers due to the mountainous terrain, three survivors apparently swam to safety. However, rescuers had not found any trace of the buses, which likely were submerged and swept downstream in the river.

Furthermore, in the past two months, incessant rainfall in Nepal has led to nearly 200 fatalities due to several landslides and floods. The torrential rain, occurring between June and September, has severely impacted the region, particularly in the mountainous areas.

Nepal experiences heavy rains annually during this period, often resulting in significant landslides and flooding. This year has been notably destructive, with the continuous downpour exacerbating the risk of natural disasters.