A catastrophic landslide in central Nepal on July 12, 2024, has swept two passenger buses into the Trishuli River, leaving at least 65 people missing, including 7 Indian nationals. The buses, carrying a total of 65-66 passengers, were traveling on the Narayanghat-Mugling highway, approximately 100 kilometers west of Kathmandu, when the disaster struck.According to Khimananda Bhusal, a district official in Chitwan, ‘Two buses, one with 24 passengers and another with 42, were carried away by the Trishuli River by a landslide’. The exact number of passengers remains uncertain as the buses may have picked up additional travelers along the route.Three passengers managed to escape by jumping out of one of the buses and are currently receiving medical treatment. The heavy monsoon rains have triggered multiple landslides in the area, severely hampering rescue efforts.Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as ‘Prachanda’, has expressed deep concern over the incident and directed all government agencies to conduct immediate and effective search and rescue operations. Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel have been deployed to the incident site.This tragic event is part of a larger pattern of monsoon-related disasters in Nepal. Over the past decade, such incidents have resulted in more than 1,800 deaths and 400 missing persons. The country’s challenging terrain and poor road conditions, combined with inadequately maintained vehicles, contribute to the frequency of such accidents.In a separate but related incident, another bus was hit by a landslide on the same highway, resulting in the death of the driver. Additionally, a landslide in the Kaski district swept away three houses, claiming 10 lives.As rescue operations continue, authorities are grappling with the rising river levels and continuous rainfall, which are complicating efforts to locate survivors and recover the vehicles. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges Nepal faces during its annual monsoon season.
Key points
- Two buses swept into Trishuli River by landslide in central Nepal, leaving at least 65 people missing
- Heavy monsoon rains causing multiple landslides, hampering rescue efforts
- Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed immediate search and rescue operations
- Incident part of larger trend of monsoon-related disasters in Nepal, with over 1,800 deaths in past decade Contradictions👾The exact number of missing people varies slightly between reports, ranging from 60 to 66 👾Some sources report 7 Indian nationals among the missing, while others do not specify nationalities
