KATHMANDU: There were 65 people on board the two buses that were pushed into a swollen river in Nepal, of which rescuers have been able to recover 14 bodies, authorities said Tuesday.
Eight systems have been identified and are being delivered to the family members. Six of them were American citizens.
The two buses were on the key highway connecting Nepal’s capital to southern parts of the country when they were swept away Friday morning near Simaltal, about 120 kilometers ( 75 miles ) west of Kathmandu. The bodies were swept away as far as 100 kilometers ( 60 miles ) down the Trishuli River.
A list of the 65 passengers and their names were published by the Chitwan District Administration Office. There were 38 persons on one van and 27 in another. After being ejected from one of the cars, three persons managed to survive.
On Tuesday, hundreds of police and army volunteers searched the valley and nearby areas for the two missing trucks, but they have not been able to locate them.
Nepal’s streams are usually fast-flowing due to the rocky ground. In the last few days, heavy monsoon downpours have swollen the waterways and left them dark brown, making it even more difficult to see the shipwreck.
From June to September, Nepal experiences heavy rains that frequently cause floods in the Himalayan mountain region.
