Bus veers off main highway to Nepal’s capital. At least 8 killed and many more injured

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A passenger bus veered off the main highway that connects Nepal’s capital with rest of the country Wednesday and crashed in a river, killing at least eight people and injuring many more.

Police said the bus drove off the Prithvi highway near the town of Gajuri, 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, and fell a few meters (feet) into the river.

The bus was partly submerged in the Trishuli River, but rescuers were able to pull out many of the passengers alive from the wreckage. The injured passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The river had been swollen by continuous rainfall during the monsoon season.

It was unclear what caused the crash, but the rainfall has made roads slippery and visibility low on the curvy mountain highway.

The bus was headed towards the popular resort town of Pokhara, but there were no foreign tourists on board because of the rainy season.

Highway accidents in Nepal, which is mostly covered by mountains, are mostly blamed on poorly maintained vehicles and roads.