Nepal buses swept away: 11 bodies found so far, 3 of Indians

Rescuers in Nepal have recovered 11 bodies, including those of three Indians, from a river after two buses were swept away after a landslide on Friday, authorities said on Monday (July 15).

The bodies were found in different spots along the riverbank after rescue teams began searching for the missing buses and the 50 people who were on board.

Indian casualties

A government official, Khima Nanda Bhusal, said three of the dead were Indians and the remaining four were Nepali nationals.

The identities of four more bodies were not known and it was not even clear if they were travelling in the buses.

“We will work until all of them are found,” he said.

Bodies found in wide area

The buses were proceeding on a key highway connecting Nepal's capital to southern parts of the country when they were swept away on Friday morning near Simaltal, about 120 km west of Kathmandu.

Three people who leapt out of the buses are being treated in a hospital.

Some bodies were recovered from as far as near the border with India. Two were found more than 100 km from the landslide site, officials said.

Rescue work continues

The rescuers from security forces used magnets, scuba diving equipment and underwater sonar imaging devices during the search.

Heavy equipment cleared much of the landslide from the highway, making it easier to reach the area as rescuers expanded their scope towards the southern region from where the first body was found.

Monsoon season brings heavy rain to Nepal from June to September, often triggering landslides in the Himalayan country.