Nepal Landslide Tragedy: Rescuers Recover 11 Bodies, Search for Missing Continues

Rescuers in Nepal have recovered 11 bodies after two buses were swept into a river by a landslide. Government officials identified seven of the deceased, including three Indians. The search for approximately 50 missing passengers continues. Heavy monsoon rains and difficult terrain are complicating the rescue efforts.

Rescuers in Nepal have recovered 11 bodies following a devastating landslide that swept two passenger buses into a river, officials reported on Monday.

The bodies were found at various locations along the riverbanks as teams searched for the missing buses and approximately 50 passengers. Khima Nanda Bhusal, a government administrator, confirmed that seven of the bodies have been identified, including three Indian nationals and four Nepali nationals.

Four additional bodies were also recovered, but officials have not yet determined if they were passengers on the buses. "We will continue the search for as long as it is needed and have no plans to give up. We will work until all of them are found," Bhusal stated.

The buses were traveling on a major highway connecting Nepal's capital to the southern regions when they were swept away on Friday morning near Simaltal, approximately 120 kilometers west of Kathmandu. Three individuals were ejected from the buses and are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

The first body was recovered on Sunday, 50 kilometers from the site of the accident. Other bodies have been found as far as near the Indian border. Rescuers, including security forces, are using magnets, scuba diving equipment, and underwater sonar imaging to locate the missing. Nepal's fast-flowing rivers and recent heavy monsoon rains, which have turned the waters murky, are complicating their efforts.

After weather conditions improved on Saturday, search teams expanded their efforts, clearing much of the landslide debris from the highway and increasing their search area. Monsoon season in Nepal, running from June to September, often triggers such landslides in the mountainous Himalayan region.

In response to the disaster, the government has imposed a ban on nighttime bus travel in areas with weather warnings, according to the Home Ministry.

(With inputs from agencies.)