Rescuers in Nepal resume search for 66 still missing after landslide sweeps buses into river

Torrential rains have made it hard for rescuers to find survivors

Rescuers continued their search on Saturday after a landslide in Nepal swept two passenger buses carrying over 60 people into the Trishuli River on Friday.

Police said they were unable to find any signs of the buses or the people on board in the river, which has been swollen due to continuous rainfall over the past few days.

With weather conditions improving slightly on Saturday, heavy equipment was deployed to clear the landslide from the highway, allowing rescuers to conduct their search more efficiently.

Indradev Yadav, the chief district officer of Chitwan, said a Kathmandu-bound bus and another bus heading to Gaur in the Rautahat district from Kathmandu fell into the river after a landslide occurred at 3.30am on Friday.

The landslide pushed the buses through concrete barriers and down a steep embankment, reported AFP.

“We will search all possible places,” Mr Yadav said.

“We will employ all our abilities for search and rescue despite the water levels, current and the water’s muddiness.”

Members of a rescue team conduct a search and rescue operation after two passenger buses were swept away by a landslide, at Trishuli River in Simaltal, Chitwan district, Nepal (EPA)

District official Khimananda Bhusal said that the buses had at least 66 passengers between them. However, three passengers were thrown from the buses and were being treated at a nearby hospital.

“Chances of finding survivors are slim because over 30 hours have passed since the buses were swept into the river. The water level has receded this morning, but it is still very murky,” Mr Bhusal told Reuters.

As of Friday evening, the identities of 17 passengers had been established. They included 14 Nepalis, seven Indians, and three who belonged to the bus crew.

A third bus was hit by another landslide a short distance away on the same highway. The driver died at the hospital while undergoing treatment and it was unclear if there were more casualties.

Family members gather while members of a rescue team conduct a search and rescue operation after two passenger buses were swept away by a landslide, at Trishuli River in Simaltal, Chitwan district (EPA)

Nepal’s prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, said he had directed all agencies to search and effectively rescue the passengers. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of nearly five dozen passengers and the loss of property due to floods and landslides in different parts of the country,” he said.

Nepal, nestled in the Himalayas, experiences severe weather conditions during the monsoon season from June to September. The rains bring flash floods, lightning strikes and landslides, killing dozens of people nearly every year.

This year, at least 62 people were killed in rain-related incidents in June alone, the home ministry said on 7 July.

Nepal’s topography and extensive river network make it highly susceptible to disasters, a situation that is likely worsened by climate change.