51 missing after landslide sweeps away two buses in Nepal
Fifty-one people went missing after two buses traveling along a road in Central Nepal were swept away by a landslide into a river on Friday (12 June).
Source: AFP via CNA
As of Monday (15 July) at 12.41pm, 11 bodies have been found, ABC News reported.
Search operations are ongoing, but rescuers have ruled out the possibility of finding survivors.
Only 3 passengers survived the incident after swimming to safety.
Landslide sweeps away two buses into river
According to a BBC report, two buses fell into a swollen river after a landslide caused by heavy rains at around 3.30am on Friday.
One bus, heading to Kathmandu, carried 24 people, while the other, headed to Gaur, carried 27.
Source: AP via NBC
Only three passengers from the bus headed to Gaur survived.
They swam to safety and were taken to a nearby hospital by locals, AP News reported.
11 bodies found from river
Rescuers discovered 11 bodies at various points along the riverbanks, ABC News reported on 15 July.
Government administrator Khima Nanda Bhusal confirmed that seven of the bodies have been identified and their families have been contacted.
Among the deceased, three are Indian nationals and four are Nepali.
Source: AFP via BBC
Four more bodies were pulled from the river, but their identities are unknown, making it unclear if they were aboard the buses.
Search operations continue, but the continuous rains causing murky waters and strong currents are hampering efforts to locate the wreckage.
Rescuers have ruled out chances of finding survivors
Rescuers have ruled out chances of finding survivors, authorities said on Monday as reported NBC News.
“There are no chances of finding survivors. Our focus is on recovering bodies,” stated Bhesh Raj Rijal, a senior police official in Chitwan district.
Even family members who have gathered at the site have given up hope of finding their loved ones alive, an official said.
“They are requesting us to at least find the dead bodies. The scene here is grim,” added district government official Khimananda Bhusal.
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Featured image adapted from AFP via CNA, AP via NBC
