Chakraghatta Rural Municipality in Sarlahi district has declared Friday a day of mourning after 13 residents of the same ward were killed in a microbus crash in Chisapanigadhi, Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-6, Makawanpur, on Thursday morning.

The rural municipality has also decided to provide Rs50,000 to each bereaved family as immediate financial assistance.

The victims were among passengers travelling home to celebrate Chhath when their microbus plunged off the road. All 13 were from Sundarpur, in ward 4 of Chakraghatta Rural Municipality. Their deaths have plunged the village into mourning.

In a notice issued on Thursday evening, the rural municipality paid tribute to those killed and expressed condolences to their grieving families.

Rural municipality chairperson Krishna Kumar Yadav said the local unit had decided to provide Rs50,000 to each bereaved family to help cover funeral and mourning expenses.

He said the local unit would continue to support the families during this difficult time.

“Whether through the rural municipality or in a personal capacity, elected representatives have a humanitarian responsibility to support people in times of such tragedy,” Yadav said. “We have decided to provide immediate assistance and will continue to stand by the affected families.”

Yadav said all government and non-government offices, as well as community and institutional schools, in the rural municipality would remain closed on Friday as part of the day of mourning. However, the rural municipality office, ward offices, and health facilities would continue to provide regular services.

The crash killed 14 people, including 13 passengers and the microbus driver, 30-year-old Ravi Shankar Kumar Mandal, from ward 8 of Kabilasi Municipality in Sarlahi.