Five people have been killed and twelve seriously injured in a bus mishap in the Baitadi district, shocking the Sudurpaschim Province. The accident was said to have happened when the driver dozed off the wheel, and the car left the road and plunged into a ditch.
The tragic bus was from Dhangadhi to a very small village located in Baitadi district when the incident occurred. The local administrations have named four of the deceased, and the identity of the fifth victim, Hugh Gobani Mahara from Purchaudi municipality-10, was established even later since her body was only recovered from the scene of the accident.
Local police and residents started search and rescue missions from the collapse as they struggled and tried to free the survivors trapped in the debris. In the first instance, the severely and critically injured passengers were rushed to other neighboring health centers for treatment. However, as is the case with the severity of their injuries, twelve of them have been admitted to avail specialized treatment in hospitals of Dhangadhi.
He noted that according to eye witnesses, the accident happened at night time when the weather was foggy. The twisty, steep roads play roles in this tragic event, together with the sleepy drivers on the cause. Authorities are now closely investigating the incident in order to identify the real cause of the mishap and similar mishaps in the future.
The unfortunate event has generated discourses on the possible measures of increasing road safety in hilly areas of Nepal. Some are demanding even more stringently defined working hours of drivers, better roads construction and constant checks on the condition of vehicles. The local administration has committed to respond promptly to these problems by improving safety measures in transport systems for the general public in the area.
The families of the wounded have also been informed, and the authorities of the region have expressed their intention to compensate the victims of the tragedy. The community has deplored the incident and come out in numbers to condole the families that lost their loved ones and to pray for those who were injured to have a speedy recovery.
This has unfortunately brought to the fore risks involved in traveling on the mountainous terrain in Nepal especially at night. Transportation scholars are calling on the government to improve the road construction, to install good lights and security barriers and launch a crackdown on laws which regulate traffic in hilly regions.
Since people got to know of the accident, there has been a lot of concern and well-wishes from various parts of the country. Bashi, condolences are pouring on social media platforms, and there are calls for more safety measures on the roads. People and other organizations within the communities have come out in large numbers to support families that have lost their loved ones and have involved themselves in providing the basic needs of food and clothes, among others.
The accident has also brought into the public domain discus-sions on the general performance of the public transport systems in the region. There is a growing pressure to critically examine all facets of bus operations such as the age of bus fleets, service provider, driver certification, and disaster response mechanisms.
As a result of the recent catastrophe, heads of the transport departments made statements on intention to carry out check-ups of buses that travel through the mountains. They have also agreed on the need to revise the safety measures that are issued regarding travelling at night especially if in the hill areas.
At this time of mourning a tragedy of this kind, the community sees the value of road safety awareness being brought to the forefront. Local schools and any community related organizations are set to conduct awareness programs for drivers to embrace safe driving and for those who being distances, they should rest.
The event has been a wake for the brave Nepalese souls and a tragic reminder of the need for a constant push to enhance Transportation Safety in Nepal, particularly in the mountainous regions. The investigations are still ongoing, and the victims are recovering from their severe injuries, but the people of Baitadi and Dhangadhi are waiting and grieving for a better future with less number of such catastrophes.
