Rescuers have recovered seven bodies from a river that two buses full of people were swept into by a landslide, officials said on Monday.
The bodies were found in different locations on the riverbanks. The search continues for the missing buses and people on board.
Nepalese army personnel search for survivors after two buses were swept into a swollen river near Simaltal, Nepal, July 13, 2024. /VCG
Government administrator Khima Nanda Bhusal said the bodies had been identified and relatives contacted. Three of the dead are Indians and the remaining four are Nepali nationals.
The buses were on the key highway connecting Nepal's capital to southern parts of the country when they were swept away on Friday morning near Simaltal, about 120 kilometers west of Kathmandu.
The first body was recovered on Sunday some 50 kilometers from where the buses fell.
Nepal army personnel search for survivors after two buses were swept by a landslide off the highway and into a swollen river near Simaltal, Nepal, July 13, 2024. /VCG
Weather conditions improved on Saturday and search teams were able to cover more ground in the hunt for the missing buses and passengers. Heavy equipment cleared much of the landslides from the highway, making it easier to reach the area as rescuers expanded their scope toward the southern region, from where the first body was found, Bhusal said.
The government has imposed a ban on passenger buses traveling at night in the areas where weather warnings are posted, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
(Cover: Nepal army personnel search for survivors after two buses were swept by a landslide off the highway and into a swollen river near Simaltal, Nepal, July 13, 2024. /VCG)