KATHMANDU: At least 12 persons died and 15 others sustained injuries when the bus they were travelling on fell 150 metres below the road in Rambha Rural Municipality-4 of Palpa district today.

All victims, including nine men and three women, were residents of Tansen Municipality, said police.

The deceased have been identified as Bishnuman Bajracharya and Krishna Bahadur Bohara of ward 4; Loknath Dhakal of ward 2; Basanti Khand, Devendra Lal Pradhan, Krishnaman Bajracharya, Chhatraman Shakya and Sushil Prasad Shakya of ward 3; Durga Bahadur Saru and Geeta Budhathoki of ward 6; Sachin Bajracharya and Kamala Karki of Tansen Bazaar.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Dilli Raj Panta at the District Police Office (DPO), Palpa, the bus (Lu 2 Kha 975) heading towards Rampur from Tansen, district headquarters of Palpa, skidded off the road killing 12 passengers aboard and injuring others, in Dharadi forest of Humin area.

The ill-fated bus was carrying a total of 27 persons — a team of employees and members of Laxmi Saving and Credit Cooperative Ltd — who were on a tour of Tansen.

Of the injured, 10 passengers have already been rushed to United Mission Hospital in Tansen for treatment while the effort is underway to rescue others, said police.

Incessant downpour since last night has affected rescue operations.

Further details into the incident are awaited.