18 killed, 28 injured as bus plunges into Trishuli River in Nepal’s Dhading

At least 18 people were killed and 28 others injured after a passenger bus travelling from Pokhara to Kathmandu plunged nearly 300 metres into the Trishuli River in Nepal’s central Dhading district in the early hours of Monday, officials said.

The accident occurred around 1:30 am in the Bhaisigauda area of Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality, when the bus veered off the roadway and tumbled down a steep gorge before landing on the riverbank below. Authorities said 44 passengers were on board the ill-fated vehicle.

“We have sent 17 people who appear to have died on the spot for medical confirmation,” chief district officer Bijaya Raj Subedi told IANS. “Twenty-seven others have been rushed to local hospitals as well as medical facilities in Kathmandu for treatment.”

The cause of the crash remains unclear. “The bus was travelling in its own lane. The exact reason behind the accident has not yet been identified,” Subedi said, adding that an investigation is underway.

Rescue operations were launched immediately, with personnel from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and local residents working through the night under challenging conditions. The steep terrain, darkness, and limited rescue equipment hampered efforts. Officials said the first phase of the operation concluded at around 6:30 am.

The tragedy underscores Nepal’s persistent road safety crisis. The country has witnessed a steady rise in road accidents in recent years, coinciding with a surge in the number of vehicles on its highways and often treacherous mountain roads.

According to the Traffic Police Office, Nepal recorded 7,669 road accidents and 190 deaths in the fiscal year 2024–25, compared to 4,999 accidents reported a decade ago. Of the recent accidents, 278 were categorised as serious.

Beyond the human toll, road crashes exact a heavy economic price. A World Bank study in Nepal found that the economic cost of road traffic injuries has tripled since 2007 and now amounts to nearly 1.5 per cent of the country’s gross national product.

The burden falls disproportionately on the poor. More than 70 per cent of road fatality victims in Nepal are vulnerable road users — pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists — highlighting the urgent need for improved road safety measures and infrastructure in the Himalayan nation.

With agency inputs