Nepal retrieves more bodies from buses swept away by landslide

KATHMANDU: Nepali search teams retrieved more bodies on Sunday of the roughly 50 people missing after a landslide triggered by torrential rains swept two buses into a fast-flowing river.

Over 300 officers, including divers, were scouring the river for passengers and the two buses themselves, said Kumar Neupane, spokesperson for Nepal´s armed police unit. Other teams on boats were using sensor equipment to search the murky water.

Grieving relatives waited on the banks in shock.

“It´s been three days I have been here, but my grandparents´ bodies have not been found,” said Khurseed Alam, aged 23.

The force of Friday´s landslide in central Chitwan district pushed the vehicles over concrete crash barriers and down a steep embankment, at least 30 metres from the road.

“One body has been found about 25-kms from the accident site,” police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP.

In total, five bodies have been retrieved, Karki said. One was an Indian citizen.

District official Khimananda Bhusal told AFP that roughly 50 people were swept away on the buses, revising down the number from the 63 initially reported by authorities.

Fierce currents, made worse by this week´s torrential downpours, have hampered search efforts.

Chitwan district government chief Indra Dev Yadav said water was flowing fast, making it difficult for the teams.