At Least 20 Dead After Jeep Plunges Into Deep Gorge In Nepal's Rolpa, Rain Hampers Rescue

Rolpa: At least 20 people were killed on Thursday after a jeep veered off a rain-soaked mountain road and tumbled nearly 700 metres into a deep gorge in Nepal’s remote Rolpa district. According to the local media reports, the accident occurred in the Jaljala area, where the hilly track had turned treacherous due to persistent rainfall.

The local officials reportedly said that the private vehicle had been hired by villagers who were travelling together to take part in the Baisakh Purnima celebrations scheduled for Friday. However, the journey, which was meant to mark a sacred occasion, ended in grief as the jeep lost traction on a muddy stretch and slipped over the edge of the hillside.

The rescue teams rushed to the site but faced severe difficulties due to the continuous downpour in the region. The police asserted that the exact number of passengers on board remained unclear, complicating efforts to account for everyone involved in the crash.

Police Inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali, information officer at the District Police Office in Rolpa, confirmed the jeep was transporting locals to the religious festival when the accident took place. He noted that the vehicle had slipped on a slick, muddy patch before plunging down the steep slope.

“Rescue operations are being hampered by heavy rainfall in the region,” the inspector said, adding that officials from the concerned departments were making efforts to ascertain how many people had been travelling in the jeep at the time. The remote, rugged terrain and poor weather have made access to the gorge extremely difficult for emergency crews. 

The deadly accident in Rolpa comes weeks after another fatal accident involving pilgrims in central Nepal. In March, 7 Indian nationals lost their lives when a passenger bus carrying devotees plunged off a road in Gandaki Province. The incident occurred on March 15 in Gorkha district as the electric microbus was returning from the Manakamana Temple.

The police confirmed that the vehicle, carrying 16 pilgrims, veered off the road and fell about 200 metres down a slope. Police official Suraj Aryal, posted in Gorkha, stated that the deceased comprised 2 women and 5 men, all Indian citizens who had visited the temple for worship. Additionally, 7 other passengers were injured and taken to a hospital in Anbukhaireni for treatment. 

Further details regarding the accident in Rolpa District are awaited.