Surkhet, June 18

At least 10 people including a local representative have gone missing after a jeep they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into the Karnali River in Kharpunath Rural Municipality, Humla, this afternoon.

According to Humla District Police Office Acting Chief Inspector Rajendra Bahadur Singh, Kharpunath Rural Municipality Vice-chairperson Sindhu Shahi Hamal and at least nine others went missing after the jeep met with the accident.

The jeep heading towards Yanchu, which is the administrative centre of Kharpunath Rural Municipality, from Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla, fell 200 metres below into the river from the road at Kailebalu at around 12:30pm.

“As per eye witnesses there were more than 10 people in the jeep when the accident occurred, but we can’t confirm the number yet,” said the inspector.

Of the missing, the identity of eight persons has been established so far.

Kharpunath Rural Municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer Chandrabir Shahi identified them as jeep driver Mani Shahi and locals Nainsingh Bhandari, Basanti Shahi, Nandadevi Singh, Gokul Sunar, Kaura Kami and her two-year-old son, besides the rural municipality’s vice-chair and her brother Chandra Hamal. Similarly, an unidentified mechanic, who was heading to Yanchu in the jeep, is also said to be among those missing.

Further, according to Inspector Singh, two separate police teams from Yanchu and the DPO and a five-member team of the Nepail Army led by Major Om Prakash Pun had reached the site to carry out rescue operation. Similarly, two helicopters had also flown to the accident site from Surkhet for the rescue. The rescue teams returned to the headquarters in the evening.

“As the water in the river is murky and the water level too has increased, the same has made it difficult to locate the jeep and passengers,” said the inspector.