Four people have died in a bus accident in the Phedi forest in ward 3 of Sankharapur Municipality, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, on Wednesday evening, according to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office.

Superintendent of Police Nareshraj Subedi, information officer at the Valley Traffic Police, said four fatalities have been confirmed and 27 others were injured. The identities of the deceased have not yet been established.

One woman died at Stupa Hospital, Bauddha, one man and one woman died at NMC Hospital, Jorpati, and another woman died while undergoing treatment at Sankharapur Hospital, the police said.

The bus was returning from a staff picnic arranged by an organisation named ‘Nature Herb’ when it veered off the road and fell nearly 100 metres down the slope at around 5 pm.

Police said around 40 people were on board.

All injured passengers are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu, including Nepal Medical College, Sankharapur Hospital, Mulpani Municipal Hospital and Sushma Koirala Hospital.

Police said the cause of the accident is under investigation.