30 die when bus plunges off cliff in Nepal

Accident occurs 375 miles from capita

By Journalist Manesh Shrestha
POSTED: 2:36 AM Jan 12 2013   UPDATED: 3:02 AM Jan 12 2013
Nepal Flag
KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -

A bus plunged down a steep slope Saturday in Nepal killing at least 30 people and injuring 13 more, police said.

The accident occurred in the Doti district about 375 miles west of the capital Kathmandu, when the bus hit a pole on the side of the road and plummeted nearly 700 feet, said police spokesman Ramesh Bahadur Dhanuk.

The injured are being treated at nearby hospitals. The bus driver is among them.

Poor roads, old buses, inexperienced drivers and overcrowding contribute to frequent traffic accidents in the mountains of Nepal.

Last month 15 people died in a mishap in the Surkhet district about 250 miles west of Kathmandu.

  • Copyright 2013 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.