At least 60 are missing in Nepal when two buses swept into a river

Rescuers in Nepal continued their hunt for survivors on Friday after two buses were carried off a major highway and into the Trishuli River in the early hours of the morning.

At least 60 individuals are missing, while three more have swum to safety and are being treated at a nearby hospital.

The buses were on a roadway connecting the capital to southern Nepal when they were washed away at Simaltal, about 120 kilometers west of Kathmandu, according to authorities.

The government had mobilized the army and police to assist with the hunt, but by late morning, they had yet to discover the vehicles.

Torrential monsoon downpours in recent days have flooded the canals and turned the water brown, making it even more difficult to discern the devastation.

Rescue attempts are also impeded by heavy rain and more landslides.
On Friday morning, another landslide struck a third bus a short distance distant along the same highway. The driver was killed, but it was unclear whether there were any other casualties.

Meanwhile, a family of seven died Thursday night when a landslide buried their hut near the vacation town of Pokhara.

The family was asleep when the landslide destroyed their home and damaged three adjoining homes.

Other landslides have obstructed access to the area in many spots.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed sadness over the news, as well as concern about recent flooding and landslides.

Nearly 100 people have died since mid-June as torrential monsoon rains cause landslides and flooding in the mountainous region.