At least 18 people died following a bus accident at Bethanchok Rural Municipality in Kavre district on Tuesday.

According to the police, the accident occurred at around 6pm at Sallaphed of Chalal Ganeshthan in the rural municipality.

According to Bethanchok Rural Municipality Chairman Bhagwan Adhikari, the reserved bus was carrying people who had gone to attend a ‘bratabandha’ (penance-bound) ceremony in Chyalti in the rural municipality from Banepa Municipality-19.

Adhikari informed that 18 people had died in the accident. Of them, 13 died at the incident site while five others died while undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

There were 39 people aboard the bus when the incident occurred, said Adhikari. 

Bohora informed that 21 people who were injured in the accident have been rescued and are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

“We are yet to determine the identities of the victims,” said Bohora.

A team of Nepal Police and Nepal Army are conducting the rescue of the injured passengers. 

The accident in Kavre occurred a day after 12 people died in a jeep accident at Lewa in Chhedagad Municipality of Jajrkot district on Monday.