Some 51 passengers and crew in two buses were swept into Nepal’s Trishuli river by a landslide on Friday. So far, 500 rescuers have only found a curtain and a pair of pants.
Rescue teams in Nepal on Saturday searched for 51 passengers and crew who went missing after a landslide a day prior swept two buses into a river swollen by relentless rainfall.
Officials said that chances of finding any survivors were diminishing as search efforts press on.
“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,” Khimananda Bhusal, deputy chief administrator of the district, told Reuters news agency.
Divers had only found a curtain from one of the bus windows and a pair of pants so far, Bhusal added.
More than 500 rescuers, mobilized by Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, were at the site. Residents found three people who managed to jump out of the bus, sustaining only minor injuries. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Several Indian nationals among the missing
Police said the incident took place in Chitwan district, about 86 kilometers (53 miles) west of Kathmandu, and that a third bus was hit by another landslide on Friday morning a short distance away on the same stretch of road, killing the driver.
Seven Indian nationals were also among those missing.
After the landslide, Nepal’s government has banned buses from traveling at night through regions with poor weather forecasts.
Credit: DW news
