KATHMANDU: As many as seven persons died and another one sustained injuries after a tractor skidded off the road in Swargadwari Municipality-3 of Pyuthan district on Saturday night.

The deceased have been identified as Sagar Basnet, Rim Bahadur Basnet, Kabiram Basnet, Thamman Batha, Birendra Batha, Gobardhan Budhamagar, all from Rumtagadhi Rural Municipality-5 and tractor driver Kamal Kunwar of Triveni Rural Municipality of Rolpa district, informed Yam Bahadur Dasaundi, ward chair of Rumtagadhi Rural Municipality.

According to the police, the incident occurred as the tractor (Lu2 Cha 4234) en route from Dharampani to Bhingri fell some 500 metres below the road in Rumale at around 11: pm, killing seven on the spot.

The tractor was transporting labour-workers employed for construction of Bhingri-Swargadwari road section.

Although the accident happened last night, the rescue team was able to reach the site only this morning due to heavy rains the night through.

Personnel from Nepal Police, Nepali Army and Armed Police Force recovered the bodies from the incident site and have sent them to District Hospital, Pyuthan for postmortem, informed Ward chair Dasaundi.

It has been learnt that there were eight persons on the vehicle at the time of the incident. A person was able to survive after he jumped off the falling tractor.