At least 12 people were killed and eight others injured after a passenger bus fell into a river in central Nepal on Tuesday. The accident happened around 11 a.m. when the bus, travelling from Kathmandu to Okhaldhunga, plunged into the Tamakoshi River in Ramechhap municipality of Bagmati province, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of the capital.
Police confirmed that 12 passengers died in the crash. Ten of the victims have been identified, Keshab Singh Dhami, medical superintendent of Manthali Hospital, told The Himalayan Times.
Eight people, including the driver, were injured, said Rajan Prasad Timilsina, a police inspector in Ramechhap district. The injured were being treated at Jeevan Hospital in Khurkot and Manthali Hospital, he said.
Local residents, along with security personnel and rescue teams, rushed to the scene and helped transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Rescue operations continued as authorities searched for any remaining passengers who may have been swept away by the river.
Police said the bus driver has been taken into custody for questioning. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
Road accidents are common in Nepal, particularly in hilly and mountainous regions, where narrow roads and difficult terrain pose challenges for drivers, especially during adverse weather conditions.
In August 2024, at least 27 people were killed and 16 others injured after a bus carrying Indian tourists plunged into a rain-swollen river in central Nepal. The bus, carrying 41 passengers and two crew members, was traveling from the tourist city of Pokhara to the capital, Kathmandu, when it veered off a mountainous road and fell into the Marsyangdi River in Tanahun district, about 118 kilometers (73 miles) west of Kathmandu.
“All the passengers and crew were Indian nationals,” Shailendra Thapa, a spokesperson for Nepal’s Armed Police Force had said. He added more than half of those on board were killed in the accident.
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