At least 14 people have died after a bus carrying passengers from India plunged into a river in Nepal, officials report.
The bus, which was transporting around 40 people, was en route to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, from Pokhara.
Rescue operations are currently underway at the accident site along the Marsyangdi River in the Tanahun district.
The cause of the accident and the identities of the victims have yet to be confirmed.
“The bus bearing number plate UP FT 7623 plunged into the river and is lying on the bank of the river,” said Deepkumar Raya, a senior police official from Tanahun, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The bus is registered in Uttar Pradesh, a northern state of India.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of Maharashtra, a western Indian state, mentioned that some of the victims were from Maharashtra.
“We are in touch with the Uttar Pradesh government to bring the bodies of the deceased to Maharashtra in coordination with the Nepal government,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Footage from the site shows the mangled remains of the bus at the bottom of a hilly slope, beside the fast-flowing river. Rescue teams are seen searching for survivors among the wreckage.
A Nepal army helicopter carrying a medical team has also been dispatched to the scene.
The bus route from Pokhara to Kathmandu is popular among Indian tourists and pilgrims.
Accidents in Nepal are not uncommon, often due to factors such as poor road and vehicle maintenance and the narrow, mountainous paths.
Just last month, dozens of people went missing after a landslide swept two passenger buses into the Trishuli River.
Source-BBC
