At least 12 individuals tragically lost their lives when a passenger bus veered off the road and fell into the Tamakoshi River in the Machanetar area of Ramechhap district, central Nepal. The accident, which occurred around 11 am, also left eight people injured, with seven of them being transferred to Kathmandu for critical medical care.
Authorities reported that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to plummet approximately 100 meters into the river while on its way from Kathmandu to Pokali in Okhaldhunga. The District Administration Office in Ramechhap confirmed the recovery of six bodies at the scene, while six others succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
It remains uncertain how many passengers were onboard the bus, but estimates suggest around two dozen individuals were traveling in the ill-fated vehicle. In response to the tragedy, a joint rescue operation involving local police units, the Armed Police Force, and the Disaster Management Division was promptly initiated.
Nepal has witnessed a surge in road accidents in recent years, attributed to the increasing number of vehicles and enhanced road infrastructure nationwide. Data from the Traffic Police Office revealed a rise in reported road accidents, with 7,669 incidents and 190 fatalities recorded in the fiscal year 2024–25, including 278 classified as severe.
The economic repercussions of road safety incidents are substantial, as highlighted by a 2020 World Bank study indicating a threefold increase in the economic cost of road traffic injuries in Nepal since 2007, equivalent to 1.5 percent of the gross national product. Moreover, road accidents disproportionately impact the impoverished segments of society.
