Early this morning, two passenger buses were swept into the Trishuli River following landslides in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road section in Chitwan district. The incident occurred around 3:30 AM, affecting a bus operated by Ganapati Deluxe heading to Gaur in Rautahat from Kathmandu with around 41 passengers and another bus operated by Angel Deluxe traveling to Kathmandu from Birgunj with around 24 passengers.
Rescue operations are currently underway with over 75 personnel from all three security forces, including a diving team from the Nepali Army and the Armed Police Force. However, heavy rain and high water levels in the Trishuli River are significantly hampering their efforts. So far, the search teams have been unable to locate the missing buses.
Authorities have managed to clear the debris at the incident site and temporarily opened one-way traffic. However, continuous falling stones and landslide debris continue to obstruct the Narayanghat-Mugling road section, particularly at the Kalikhola area, where it is expected to take several hours to restore normal traffic flow.
Three passengers on the Ganapati Deluxe bus reportedly saved themselves by jumping from the bus as it was being swept away. These survivors, hailing from Dewahi Gonahi Municipality and Sisawa Dhamaura of Brindaban Municipality in Rautahat district, have been transported to Narayanghat for treatment.
Efforts to identify the vehicles and passengers involved are ongoing, but precise details have yet to be confirmed. The authorities are focused on locating the missing buses and ensuring the safety of the passengers, as rescue operations continue under challenging conditions.
