Rescuers in Nepal resume search for 51 people still missing from two buses swept away in mudslide

Kathmandu: Rescuers assisted by divers from Nepal's security forces on Saturday resumed the search for over 50 people, including seven Indians, still missing after two passenger buses were swept away by a mudslide into a rain-swollen river in the Himalayan nation.

The two buses carrying 54 passengers went missing in the Trishuli River in the landslides at the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district.

Earlier, it was reported that there were more than 60 people on board the two buses.

The Nepali Army, Nepal Police and armed police personnel along with deep divers are being mobilised to resume the search operation, according to the Nepal Police.

There were 24 people including seven Indian nationals on board a bus heading towards Kathmandu from Birgunj and another bus heading to Gaur from Kathmandu was carrying 30 local people. The two buses fell into the river as the landslide accompanied by muddy water, triggered by heavy rain, swept them away.

Three passengers swam to safety while 51 are still missing and there is no information about their whereabouts, said Nepal Police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki.

More than 500 security personnel are involved in the search operations, according to the police official.

The search operation was stopped on Friday evening as it was not possible to work during the night with high water current coupled with muddy water, the police official said.

The search operation resumed at 8 am Saturday.

"All possible locations will be searched and we will put all our best efforts into search and rescue, "he said.

Nepal is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis and has witnessed multiple extreme weather events over the past decade and a half.

Evidence suggests that maximum temperatures in Nepal are rising faster, at 0.056 degrees Celsius a year, compared to the global average rise of 0.03 degrees Celsius a year, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Experts say extreme weather events—excessive rainfall in a short period, continuous rains for several days after the monsoon, dry spells, droughts, below-average precipitation, and above-normal winter temperatures—have become more frequent in Nepal.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority estimates that 1.81 million people and 412,000 households will be affected by monsoon this year. Of them, 83,000 households will be directly impacted, and 18,000 families will require rescue due to monsoon-related disasters.