Nepal

Rasuwa bus accident toll reaches 35 as five injured die at Trishuli hospital

Rasuwa bus accident toll reaches 35 as five injured die at Trishuli hospital

By Keshav Adhikari

Security personnel collecting the bodies of people killed in bus accident at Ramche of Rasuwa district.

DHADING: The death toll in the passenger bus accident at Ramche of Rasuwa district has reached 35 till this evening. Among the victims are 12 females and 23 males. At least 51 others are injured in the incident. Five of the injured have been admitted to the District Hospital in Rasuwa and five others in Trishuli of neighbouring Nuwakot district. Critically injured 41 others have been referred to Kathmandu, according to Rasuwa Chief District Officer Shivaram Gelal. So far only few victims, including bus driver Bharat Gurung of Manakamana VDC in Nuwakot and passengers Deepa Chimoriya of Gadhimai Municipality-6, Nima Tashi of Goljung-5 and  Dhaibung VDC secretary Tikam Bahadur Shahi , have been identified. The passenger bus (Na 3 Kha 5706) was heading to Chilime of Rasuwa district when it fell 200 metres down the hilly road at Ramche VDC of the district at about 1 pm. As many as 30 passengers died on the spot while five others breathed their last treatment at  Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot, informed District Police Office, Rasuwa. According to locals, the overloaded bus, with scores of passengers travelling on its rooftop also, went out of control at the road-section affected by landslide after one of its front tyres went flat. The bus subsequently plunged down the road. The accident site is 12 kilometres away from Dhunche, the district headquarters. Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and locals reached the site for rescue operation soon after they received information about the incident, CDO Gelal said. More than 70 passengers were on board the bus. Police said they are working out to ascertain the identity of the victims.