Search Underway to Locate Drowned Buses and Passengers

The search for the passengers of the bus that fell into the Trishuli river at Simaltal on the Narayangadh-Muglin roadway has resumed this morning. Teams of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and armed police personnel, including deep divers, are at the incident site to continue the search.

The operation was halted on Friday evening due to the inability to work at night with high water currents and muddy water, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bheshraj Rijal of the District Police Office Chitwan. Chief District Officer Indradesh Yadav stated that the search operation started at 8 am. “All possible locations will be searched, and we will put in our best efforts into search and rescue,” he said.

Two passenger buses, one heading to Gaur from Kathmandu (03-001 Kha. 2495) and another going to Kathmandu from Birgunj (03-006 Kha. 1516), were swept away by landslides into the Trishuli river on Friday morning at Simaltal, Bharatpur metropolis-29. The bus headed to Gaur carried 27 passengers, while 24 people were aboard the bus going to Kathmandu from Birgunj. Three people survived by swimming out of the flooded river.