A harrowing escape unfolded in Chitwan this morning when a landslide struck Simaltal, sweeping away a bus traveling from Kathmandu to Rautahat. Three passengers, acting swiftly, managed to save their lives by jumping from the vehicle.
The passengers, two from Dewahi Gonahi in Rautahat and one from Siswa Dhamura in Brindaban municipality, were miraculously rescued from the landslide site and transported to Narayangadh on another bus.
Onlinekhabar.com obtained a video of a passenger from Siswadhamaura recounting the ordeal. He describes jumping from the window towards the cabin as the bus began to fall, a decision that ultimately saved his life. Two others reportedly followed suit, escaping the perilous situation.
According to the passenger, four people were in the cabin with him at the time of the incident. Sadly, he reports that the other passengers and their belongings, including his own bags, have vanished. A fellow passenger in the video offers a comforting reminder, stating, “What about luggage, saving lives is a big thing.”
The landslide occurred around 3:30 am and also impacted another bus, the Bagmati Pradesh number 1516 Angel Deluxe traveling from Birgunj towards Kathmandu. Both buses, along with the missing passengers, are believed to have been swept into the Trishuli River.
Authorities are currently conducting search and rescue operations. Initial estimates suggest there were 41 passengers on the Kathmandu-to-Gaur bus and 24 on the Birgunj-to-Kathmandu bus. However, details regarding the passengers remain unclear at this time.
