22 killed, 40 injured in Palpa bus accident

At least 22 passengers were killed when an overcrowded bus met with a deadly accident in Deurali VDC in western Palpa district Monday afternoon.

The passenger bus, Lu 1 Kh 3076, en route to Tamghas, Gulmi district, from Butwal slipped off the road and plunged into a gorge at Laghuwa area around 12:30 pm, reports said.

Some 60 passengers were travelling on the ill-fated bus. Police said the death toll could rise as some passengers are critically injured in the accident.

Rescuers have recovered 20 dead bodies from the accident scene while the injured passengers have been taken to United Mission Hospital in Tansen. Many passengers admitted to the hospitals are in critical condition.

Local people, the police and the Young Communist League activists are involved in rescue operation.

Reports say most of the passengers are believed to be the residents of Tamghas. However, the police have not identified the dead bodies.

The vehicle movement along the road was disrupted for over half-and-hour after the accident as the passengers of other buses got off the bus to help in the rescue operation.

The incident place lies at a distance of around 20 kms from the districts headquarters Tansen. nepalnews.com mk/ia Aug 20 07