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Kathmandu. A passenger bus fell into the Tamakoshi river at Machanetar in Ramechhap district of central Nepal. 12 people died in this accident. Ramechhap district Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhola Kumar Bhatta told a news agency that 12 people lost their lives in the accident that occurred around 11 am. “Eight people have been injured, and seven of them have been flown to Kathmandu for further treatment due to serious injuries,” he said.

According to Bhatta, the driver lost control of the bus and the vehicle fell into the river about 100 meters below the road. The bus, which had left from Kathmandu for Pokli in Okhaldhunga, fell into the Tamakoshi river. The District Administration Office of Ramechhap said that six bodies have been recovered from the spot, while six others died during treatment.

Police said it was not immediately clear how many passengers were on the bus, but Bhatta said officials believed about 24 people were traveling on the bus. After the accident, a rescue operation was launched with the help of local police units, armed police forces and the disaster management department. With the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and improved road connectivity across the country, Nepal has also seen a steady increase in road accidents in recent years.

According to the traffic police office, 4,999 road accidents were reported a decade ago. At the same time, in 2024-25, 190 deaths were reported in 7,669 road accidents, out of which 278 accidents were considered serious. Apart from loss of life, it also has an economic impact. A World Bank study in 2020 showed that the economic cost of road traffic injuries in Nepal has tripled since 2007 and is equivalent to 1.5 percent of gross national product. Poor people are worst affected by accidents.