In Nepal, rescuers have struck out any chances of finding the remaining survivors in last week’s landslide that saw two passenger buses carrying 65 people, swept into a river undulates by heavy rain, according to a report by the authorities on Monday.
Very many security personnel ( with the number reaching as much as the hundreds) had resumed their search efforts early on Monday to find the buses and 55 passengers who remained missing, over 72 hours after the mishap.
So far at press time at 7:15am on Monday, the searchers who have scoured the accident site in Chitwan district since Friday, have so far found seven dead bodies, out of which two were discovered on Monday.
Family members, who gathered at the search site, have lost hope on finding their loved ones alive, an official had said.
What They’re Saying
Bhesh Raj Rijal, a senior police official in Chitwan district had said;
“There are no chances of finding survivors. Our focus is on recovering bodies.”Another government official in the district had also said,
“They are requesting us to at least find the dead bodies. The scene here is grim.”
Why It Matters
The floods and landslides ravaging Nepal of late were triggered by torrential monsoon rains and it has killed over 100 people in the country since the middle of June.
After this recent landslide accident, the government announced plans to prohibit buses from traveling at night in places with extreme weather forecast.
In the meantime, relief items such as food, clean water, and blankets are being distributed to the displaced families, with the local organizations and NGOs coordinating efforts to ensure the timely delivery of these materials.
Finally, the authorities are keeping a close eye on the other river levels and issuing warnings to communities living near rivers.
The Koshi River, in particular, is the one most closely watched due to its extreme water levels.
