In a heart-wrenching incident, a passenger bus met with a fatal accident in Nepal’s Ramechhap district, crashing into the Tamakoshi River and killing 12 onboard. The mishap happened at Machanetar around 11 a.m., injuring eight others who received urgent medical attention.
Police Deputy Superintendent Bhola Kumar Bhandari provided updates: ‘The driver failed to negotiate a sharp turn, causing the bus to drop 100 meters into the river.’ Six victims were pulled from the riverbank, while six passed away in hospitals. Seven severe cases were transferred to Kathmandu.
Bound for Pokali in Okhaldhunga from Kathmandu, the bus likely held 24 passengers. Rescue efforts mobilized local cops, armed police, and disaster units, battling rugged terrain to save lives.
This crash highlights Nepal’s escalating road safety crisis. With better roads and more vehicles, accidents have spiked—from 4,999 reported a decade ago to 7,669 in 2024-25, including 190 deaths and 278 serious collisions.
Economically, the toll is crippling. World Bank analysis from 2020 shows traffic injury costs have ballooned to 1.5% of GDP, tripling over 15 years. The poor suffer most, trapped in cycles of debt and disability.
Authorities must act decisively: enforce speed limits, mandate safety checks, and invest in barriers along deadly drops. Only then can Nepal’s roads become less deadly for its people.