Death toll climbs to 30, rescuers say chances of finding survivors slim
Dang bus accident toll hits 36, rescuers say chances of finding survivors slim
The death toll in Monday's tragic bus accident in mid western Dang district has risen to 36 as security officers and locals fished out more bodies from the Rapti River after rescue operations resumed from early Tuesday afternoon.
Police and army personnel involved in rescue efforts told reporters at the scene that the death toll could rise significantly as many passengers of the ill-fated bus are still missing and chances of finding them alive is becoming very slim.
The tragedy occurred yesterday morning after an overloaded passenger bus carrying mostly pilgrims and heading to Swargadwari of Pyuthan from Krishnanagar of Kapilvastu skidded off the road and plunged into Rapti River, some 150 meters below, at Bagasati VDC in Dang district. Reports said that some 35 people on board the bus were from India. They were all on a pilgrimage in Nepal.
According to the latest reports, among the deceased bus owner Shiva Kumar Gupta of Dang; driver Ramesh Dhakal of Syangja; Bijay Rawat and Samsuddin Miya of Sandhikharka in Argakhachi; Krishna Bahadur Thapa, Krishna K.C, Kasmira Khatun, Bhesh Raj Rijal and Rajesh Sunar of Pyuthan and one Dal Bahadur Darlami of Kapilvastu have been identified.
Kushum Khatun, Bandana Acharya and Kalpana Rija of Pyuthan, Khim Bahadur Rawat, Magar Kainla, Bal Krishna Karki and Ram Prasad Chumdali of Argakachi are said to be among those missing, reports quoting family sources said.
So far 34 persons, including 7 Indians, have been rescued. Among them 14 are getting medical treatment at various hospitals in Kohalpur and Nepalgunj while the rest have already gone home after getting first aid treatment at Primary Health Post in Lamahi.
A crane from Butwal has arrived at the accident site to pull out the bus that had plunged into the Rapti River.
As hopes for finding the survivors have faded, police personnel have concerted their effort on finding bodies by swimming in the river. Reports say lack of rescue equipment coupled with increasing level of water in the murky river is causing difficulty in recovering bodies which they believe are still inside the bus.
The tragedy appears to have occurred because the bus was carrying passengers more than its capacity. The ill-fated bus was said to be carrying more than 100 passengers, with many on its rooftop. nepalnews.com ag May 20 08
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