Kathmandu: Rescuers on Saturday recovered the body of a 40-year-old Indian national, identified as Rishi Pal Shahi, from one of two buses that were swept into the Trishuli River in Nepal by a mudslide. The buses, carrying a total of 54 passengers—including seven Indians—went missing in the Simaltal area along the Narayanghat-Mugling road in Chitwan district on Friday. Three people managed to swim to safety.
Shahi’s body was found approximately 50 kilometres from the accident site, partially covered by sand in the Narayani River. He was found carrying an Indian ID.
Other missing Indian nationals include Santosh Thakur, Surendra Sah, Adit Miyaan, Sunil, Shahnawaj Alam, and Ansari. The initial reports had indicated over 60 people on board the two buses. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and armed police personnel, supported by deep divers, have resumed search operations. The Armed Police Force (APF) has deployed a water drone and sonar camera for the search.
One bus was en route to Kathmandu from Birgunj with 24 people on board, including seven Indian nationals, while the other was travelling from Kathmandu to Gaur with 30 local passengers. Both buses were swept into the river by a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall.
The search operation was halted on Friday evening due to high water currents and muddy conditions but resumed at 8 am on Saturday. More than 500 security personnel are involved in the ongoing search efforts.
Nepal, highly vulnerable to climate change, has experienced increased extreme weather events over the past decade. The Kathmandu Post reported that temperatures in Nepal are rising faster than the global average, contributing to more frequent extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, droughts, and unusual temperature fluctuations.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority estimated that this year’s monsoon will affect 1.81 million people and 412,000 households, with 83,000 households directly impacted and 18,000 families requiring rescue due to monsoon-related disasters.
(With PTI Inputs)
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