At least 60 people have gone missing after two passenger buses were swept away by a landslide that occurred in Simaltal of the Narayanghat-Mugling road section on Friday.
According to Chitwan Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav, Kathmandu-bound Angel Deluxe and Ganpati Deluxe, en route to Gaur from the Capital, met with the accident at around 3:30am.
Twenty-four people were onboard the bus travelling to Kathmandu and 41 on the other, police said. Three of the passengers on the Ganpati Deluxe managed to escape after jumping out of the vehicle.
In a separate accident, one person was killed after a boulder fell on another passenger bus in 17 kilo of the same road section.
Bus driver Meghnath BK was seriously injured after a landslide caused the boulder to hit his vehicle, travelling towards Kathmandu from Butwal. He died in the course of treatment at the Chitwan Medical College, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bheshraj Rijal.
Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel have reached the incident sites for rescue operations, Superintendent of Police Bhawesh Rimal informed.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed sadness over the incident, directing concerned agencies to conduct search and rescue operations.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of nearly five dozen passengers missing after a landslide swept away buses in Simaltar of Narayanghat-Mugling road section and the loss caused by the disaster in different parts of the country,” Dahal wrote on X.
“I direct all government agencies, including the home administration, to search and rescue the passengers.”
Debris from landslides at various places has obstructed traffic on the Narayanghat-Mugling road section.
According to the Road Division Bharatpur, it will take around four hours for traffic to resume on the roadway.
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