An overcrowded bus fell into a stream in northwestern Nepal, killing at least 24 people and injuring many others, Al Jazeera reported, citing local officials.

Sixteen people were killed instantly, while eight others died in hospital, a local official told AFP, according to the report.

The bus veered off a mountain road and fell 200 meters downhill in the Jajarkot district of Nepal.

The officials cited in the report blamed the accident on overcrowding, saying the bus had about 50 passengers. </s> Nepal bus crash that left at least two dead sparks violent riot

Updated

A bus crash in Nepal that killed at least two people and injured dozens of others has sparked a violent riot, with police firing tear gas at villagers who rallied together to demand better bus services.

The local bus was en route from Pharping, in the Dakshinkali municipality, to Kathmandu at 8:00am (local time) on Thursday when the front left tyre burst and the vehicle crashed in Bhanjyang.

The bus, which was more than 20 years old, was overloaded and did not have enough seats to cater for the 45 passengers, police said.

Police have identified the dead as Manju Basnet, 42, and Sunil Shrestha, 25, according to the Kathmandu Post.

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division spokesman Umesh Ranjitkar told the Post Ms Basnet and Mr Shrestha died on the way to Vayodha Hospital in Balkhu.

Hundreds of locals spent the day gathered near the wrecked bus, some attempting to block the road in protest, and calling on the local municipality to supply new buses.

This is the 21st century but we have a '90s bus and the people are unhappy," local Prashant Khatri said.

"The injured people's parents and relatives are demanding a new road committee, a new bus committee, and new buses."

The scene became violent at about 4:00pm when dozens of riot police from Kathmandu formed a human wall and marched into the villagers, attempting to force them away from the bus.

Some of the villagers pushed back and threw stones, while others retreated to their homes.

Shots echoed through the valley as police fired tear gas and hit the villagers with batons, with the commotion continuing until nightfall when the area fell silent.

Neydo Hotel overlooks the scene of the crash, and housekeeper Jyanti KC was one of many grieving the locals lost.

"The road is bad, the bus is old and there's too many people on the bus," she said.

"Manju Basnet was my relative. She was a good person with a good job and a nice face.

"Sunil Shrestha was a single father, so his child is now left without parents."

Dakshinkali Municipality Mayor Mohan Basnet told the Post that although traffic police claimed the accident was caused by technical problems, the "rough road" was another reason for the crash.

"We are aware of the problem," he said.

"We have repeatedly requested the Department of Road to repair the road, but they have taken no action so far."

Topics: disasters-and-accidents, accidents, death, road, nepal, asia

First posted </s> At least 24 people have been killed and dozens injured after an overcrowded bus veered off a mountain road and crashed into a stream 200m downhill in northwestern Nepal, according to local officials.

Suman Kharel, an official at the country's remote Jajarkot district, told the AFP news agency on Thursday that 16 people were killed instantly, while the other eight died in hospital.

The nearest hospital was struggling to cope with the number of casualties and some people were being taken to other districts for treatment, he said.

"The district hospital is crowded with injured and we are still searching for people at the accident site," Krishna Chandra Paudel, another local official, said.

Overcrowded

The officials blamed the accident on overcrowding, saying that there were about 50 passengers on the bus.

The vehicle, which was travelling down a narrow and windy road from the village of Khalanga in Jajarkot district to Khara in Rukun, was also in a poor state of repair, Paudel said.

Poorly maintained vehicles coupled with reckless driving and bad roads lead to numerous fatal road accidents in Nepal every year. </s> A government official says a crowded bus slipped off a mountain in Nepal, leaving at least 14 people killed and nine more injured.

 Dhading district administration official Toran Parajuli said the bus was carrying passengers both inside and on the roof.

 It slipped off the mountain road near Lapang Phedi village and rolled about 300 meters (980 feet) before stopping on the banks of Ankhu River.

 Parajuli said rescuers have reached the accident site and a helicopter has flown from Kathmandu to try to fetch the injured.

 The bus was on a local route and carrying all Nepali nationals. Traffic crashes are mainly blamed on poorly maintained roads and vehicle in Nepal. </s> KATHMANDU, March 9 (Reuters) - An overcrowded bus veered off a hilly road in west Nepal killing 25 people and injuring dozens on Thursday, police said.

The bus, packed with villagers, fell 200 metres (650 feet) into a river in Jajarkot, 250 km (220 miles) west of Kathmandu.

The injured were evacuated to a local hospital, police official Hari Bhakta said.

The cause of the incident was not immediately known.

Road crashes, which are common in Nepal, are blamed on poor road conditions and ill maintained vechiles. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) </s> KATHMANDU, Nepal — Police say an overcrowded bus have veered off a mountain road in Nepal, leaving at least 24 people dead and several more injured.

Police said the bus plunged off the road Thursday near a village about 400 (250 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu. The bus rolled about 200 (650 feet) down a slope before crashing into the Pasagad river.

Local villagers helped police and soldiers pull the bodies and the injured from the wreckage.

Accidents in Nepal are mostly blamed on poorly maintained roads and vehicle conditions. The country is covered by mountains and the roads are also usually narrow. </s> KATHMANDU:- At least 24 people were killed when an overcrowded bus skidded off the road and crashed in remote western Nepal on Thursday, local officials said. Sixteen people were killed instantly as the bus careered off the road in Jajarkot district, while the other eight died in hospital, local district official Suman Kharel told AFP. The nearest hospital was struggling to cope with the number of casualties and some people were being taken to other districts for treatment, he added. “The district hospital is crowded with injured and we are still searching for people at the accident site,” another local official Krishna Chandra Paudel said.–AFP </s> world

Updated: Sep 27, 2016 22:35 IST

Nineteen people died and more than a dozen were injured when an overcrowded bus went off a road in Dhading district of Nepal on Tuesday.

Police said 18 people were killed instantly and one passenger succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Kathmandu.

The bus plunged 300 feet after going off the road, district police chief Shrad Kumar Khatri said. Thirteen severely injured passengers were airlifted from the accident site to Kathmandu for treatment, chief district officer Bishow Subedi said.

The local administration said most of the passengers were survivors of the 2015 earthquake from a remote part of Dhading who were heading to the district headquarters to receive financial assistance announced by the government.

Police believe the accident could have occurred due to lack of maintenance of the road, which was damaged by recent rains.

A series of accidents in Nepal has raised questions about road safety. Officials said many accidents were caused by poor implementation of traffic rules and the poor condition of roads and vehicles. A majority of the accidents have occurred on roads running through hilly terrain.

First Published: Sep 27, 2016 18:08 IST </s> KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — At least 26 people died and 36 more were injured when an overcrowded bus veered off a mountain road in Nepal, officials said Friday.

Government administrator Krishna Chandra Poudel said the bus plunged off the road Thursday near a village about 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu. The bus rolled about 200 meters (650 feet) down a slope before crashing into the Pasagad river.

Local villagers helped police and soldiers pull the bodies and the injured from the wreckage.

Poudel said rescue helicopters reached the accident area late Thursday and were able to fly 18 of the injured to a hospital in Nepalgunj city.

Another eight injured people were being flown out on Friday but had to wait for the weather to clear up.

Accidents in Nepal are mostly blamed on poorly maintained roads and vehicle conditions. The country is covered by mountains and the roads are also usually narrow.
An overloaded bus explodes a tyre and crashes near Bhanjyang, Nepal, killing at least two people and wounding dozens of others. A riot follows.