KATHMANDU: Two buses carrying passengers went missing in the Trishuli River early this morning due to landslides in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road section in Chitwan district, officials confirmed. The buses were carrying around 65 passengers, it is reported.
Chief District Officer of Chitwan, Indra Dev Yadav, confirmed that the two vehicles fell into the river at 3:30 this morning.
According to Yadav, a bus of Ganapati Deluxe heading to Gaur in Rautahat from Kathmandu was reportedly carrying 41 people, and the other bus named Angel Deluxe en route to Kathmandu from Birgunj had 24 people on board.
Chief District Officer Yadav, who is currently at the incident site, said that rescue workers have started working to clear the landslide debris.
Yadav said further details of the accident are still awaited.
Expressing grief over the disappearance of the buses in the Trishuli River, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has issued directives for immediate search and rescue operations.
When the two buses were swept away by the landslide in the Simaltal area of the Narayanghat-Mugling road section, nearly five dozen passengers went missing. He directed the relevant agencies to carry out immediate and effective search and rescue operations.
The prime minister also expressed grief over the loss of life and property due to floods and landslides in different parts of the country. He urged citizens to take necessary precautions. Prime Minister Dahal has also appealed to the federal, provincial, and local governments for the necessary cooperation and coordination in disaster management and risk reduction with high vigilance as the adverse weather conditions persist in the country.