In a heartbreaking incident that has left Nepal in shock, two buses carrying a total of (estimated) 65 passengers were swept into the raging waters of the Trishuli River by a sudden landslide in the Simaltal area. The incident, which occurred at around 3.30 AM, has highlighted the unpredictable and dangerous nature of landslides in regions previously considered safe. This article attempts at providing a detailed account of the tragic accident, the ongoing rescue efforts, and the broader implications for infrastructure and safety in Nepal.
Included in the article
Event Flow
Day of the Accident
- Early Morning at 3.30AM on Friday (July 12, 2024): The buses, one heading from Kathmandu to Gaur (Ganapati Deluxe, Plate number: Bagmati Pradesh 03-001 Kha 2495) and the other from Birgunj to Kathmandu (Angel Deluxe, Plate number: Bagmati Pradesh 03-006 Kha 1516), were traveling on the Narayangadh – Muglin road, the major route connecting eastern and western Nepal to the capital city Kathmandu.
- Sudden Landslide: As the buses approached the Simaltal area, locals and authorities – featured in a video broadcasted by SidhaKura during an interaction with former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane on July 16th – reported that the buses, coming from opposite directions, were unable to pass each other. They were at a standstill, trying to navigate the situation when a landslide triggered by accumulated debris from the Sindure Gahare stream swept them into the Trishuli River. This area, typically dry and considered low-risk for landslides, on this unfortunate day saw a sudden flow of mud and rocks, sweeping away the buses with it.
Immediate Aftermath
- Search and Rescue Initiated: Rescue teams from local authorities, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army were immediately deployed within hours of the incident. The Trishuli River’s powerful currents and the depth at the point of the buses’ entry posed significant challenges elongating the rescue attempt with little success to show for.
- Survivors: Only three passengers managed to swim to safety, leaving 62 unaccounted for as the buses disappeared into the river. The reported numbers however, might be different as passengers might have boarded and deboarded the bus during it’s route.
Rescue Efforts and Current Progress
- Search Operations Intensified: Despite challenging conditions, including the river’s high flow and low visibility, divers and rescue teams continued their efforts to locate the submerged buses and any possible survivors. A team of over 300 individuals were deployed to facilitate the search process per the reports.
- Community Support: Local communities along the Trishuli River assisted with the search efforts, providing boats/rafts and logistical support to rescue teams. The local hotel association at Chitwan made available food and rooms to stay for the family members of the ones impacted.
- Technological Aid: The use of high capacity magnets to attract the bus to sonar and underwater cameras was incorporated to locate the buses. These high tech equipment were said to take visuals of over 200 meters underwater to help locate the bus. However, the fast-flowing river and debris hindered the effectiveness of these tools so far.
- Limited Success: As days passed, hope began to fade. The rescue teams managed to retrieve personal belongings and some debris from the buses, but the vehicles themselves remained difficult to find. And, so does the fate of majority of passengers travelling in those buses. The efforts as we enter on day 6 have managed to locate the bodies of 17 people from different locations around the river banks including two bodies 103 kilometers away from the location of incident. Out of those 17 bodies found, only 9 of them have been identified. The whereabouts of majority of other passengers (45) and both busses remain unknown as of now.
- Coordination with India: In response to the Simaltal landslide disaster on the Narayangadh-Muglin road, coordination with bordering Indian districts has been established to search for the missing bus and passengers swept into the Trishuli River. This effort began after bodies were found in the Narayani River near the Indian border (on day 5), leading to the assumption that some might have been carried into India. Chief District Officer (CDO) of Chitwan, Indradev Yadav, reported coordination with the District Magistrates (DM) of Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh and West Champaran in Bihar. Both DMs have been requested to report any found bodies. Despite ongoing communication, no bodies have been found yet.
- International support sought: The Home Ministry separately has also written to Indian government for help in the effort to find the missing buses and people as all effort so far fail to result complete success.
- Formation of task force: New coming home minister announced that a task force will be formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct an on-site study about the incident and ways to prevent such cases in the future. On day 6 of incident today, the taskforce is already formed and is stationed in Chitwan to study and discover critical details of the incident.
How the Accident Happened
Geographical and Environmental Context
- Scenic but Dangerous: The Simaltal area is known for its steep slopes and picturesque waterfalls, making it a scenic yet potentially dangerous stretch along the Narayangadh-Muglin road.
- Unseen Risks: The Sindure Gahare stream, which feeds into the Trishuli River, is typically dry. However, recent heavy rains over several days had caused the stream to accumulate debris, including large rocks and tree trunks; which unfortunately resulted in the incident getting worse.
- Debris Accumulation (contributing factor for triggering landslide): Heavy rains which started since June 22, 2024 and continued with some gaps in between led to a buildup of debris in the stream, blocking the culvert below the road. This pressure eventually caused the hillside to collapse, sending a flood of mud and rocks down the slope.
- Structural Weakness: The landslide also brought down two layers of retaining walls along the road, overwhelming the buses traveling below directly in the river waves. Local authorities mentioned that no glasses or any traces of the incident happening could be found in the road – presenting the theory that the landslides pushed those buses directly to the large waves in the river without any contact in between. This demonstrates the strong force and volume by which the landslide might have made the impact against the buses.
Broader Implications
Infrastructure and Safety
- Unexpected Vulnerability: The Simaltal area was not classified as high-risk for landslides, underscoring the need for continuous reassessment of geological risks along major highways.
- Preventive Measures: Experts have called for improved drainage systems, regular maintenance of drainage, and stricter regulations on hillside construction to reduce future landslide risks.
Community Impact
- Grieving Families: The loss of so many lives has devastated families and communities, highlighting the human cost of natural disasters. The situation of not finding the whereabout of many of the travelling passengers in those bus, only made the situation worse.
- Policy Response: There are calls for a comprehensive policy review to enhance road safety and emergency response capabilities. One suggestion is to equip our national defense forces with high-tech devices that can be immediately deployed during emergencies. This would help in quickly discovering crucial details and possibly rescuing survivors. Finding the buses within a few hours offers a higher chance of survival compared to locating them weeks later.
The tragedy at Simaltal is a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the critical importance of preparedness and resilience. As Nepal mourns the lives lost in this devastating accident, it also faces the urgent task of strengthening infrastructure and safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Let’s hope that Nepal government along with all the political parties come together seriously to start working on understanding such cases fully and make proper policies to ensure such incidents can be prevented in future. And, let’s hope that is competed very soon. Let’s believe this does not go down in history as just another accident and forgotten about without any concrete actions few weeks/months down the line when it all settles.
References
- Local News Reports: Coverage of the accident and rescue efforts over several days from local media sources including OnlineKhabar, RatoPati and SetoPati.
- Community Testimonies: Accounts from local residents and survivors of the incident as seen in YouTube channels including Narayani TV, FirstPost, SidhaKura and GlobalNews.
