Nepal: Bus plunges into river, dozens feared dead

At least 10 people have died after a passenger bus fell into the Tamakoshi River in Ramechhap district, eastern Nepal, authorities have said. Some reports suggest the toll could be as high as 12.

The bus, operated by Araniko Transport Committee, was travelling from Kathmandu to Pokali in Okhaldhunga when it veered off the road at Masanetar in Manthali Municipality-6 on the morning of February 10, plunging around 50 metres into the river, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Earlier reports from police confirmed 10 deaths, but the District Administration Office later said the number had risen to 12 after rescuers recovered six more bodies from the site. Six others had died earlier while receiving treatment at hospitals.

Eight people were injured, including the bus driver. Seven were referred to Dhulikhel Hospital, while one, found unconscious, is being transported to another medical facility, Deputy Inspector General Abinarayan Kafle of the Nepal Police said.

Rescue operations have been complicated by the submerged bus. Teams from the Ramechhap District Police Office, the Armed Police Force Battalion, and the Disaster Management Division have been deployed, with divers continuing to search the river.

The cause of the accident has not yet been determined.

By Aghakazim Guliyev