Five killed as school bus plunges into gorge near Pokhara in Nepal
A school bus carrying 17 children skidded off the road in Kaski district on Friday morning; the cause is not yet known.
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Five people were killed on Friday morning when a school bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near Pokhara in Nepal. The accident took place at about 6.20 am at Okhaleko Bhir in Ward No. 28 of Pokhara Metropolitan City in Kaski district.
According to Nepali officials, the bus belonged to Kalika English Boarding School. Superintendent of Police Naveen Karki, head of the Kaski District Police Office, confirmed that five people died. There were 19 people on board: 17 schoolchildren, one other passenger and the driver. The exact cause of the bus falling into the gorge has not yet been established.
Chief District Officer of Kaski Kuman Singh Gurung said most of the children on the bus were in Class 10. They were on their way to tuition classes when the accident happened.
Road accidents in Nepal have risen over the past few years, and the number of vehicles in the country keeps growing. According to government figures, 7,669 road accidents were recorded in Nepal in the fiscal year 2024-25. They claimed 1,900 lives, and 278 of the accidents were serious.
A World Bank study says the economic cost of road injuries in Nepal has tripled since 2007 and has reached 1.5 per cent of the country's gross national income (GNI). The study also says the poor and vulnerable bear the brunt of these accidents.
To curb the rising toll, the Nepal government has tabled a Road Safety Bill in the House of Representatives. The Bill aims to improve coordination among the various agencies involved in road safety, prevent accidents and strengthen monitoring. It also seeks to reduce the loss of life and the economic loss caused by accidents.
The Bill covers safe roads, vehicle safety, speed control, protection of road users, post-accident relief and rescue along with treatment, insurance and compensation.
