Rescuers in Nepal have ruled out the possibility of finding survivors from last week’s landslide that swept two passenger buses carrying 65 people into a river swollen by heavy rain, officials reported on Monday.
Hundreds of security personnel resumed search operations early Monday to locate the buses and the 55 missing passengers, more than 72 hours after the incident.
Read more: Over 50 Individuals Missing In Nepal As Landslide Sweeps Two Buses Into River
Search teams at the accident site in Chitwan district, about 86 km (53 miles) west of Kathmandu, have recovered seven bodies so far, including two on Monday.
“There are no chances of finding survivors. Our focus is on recovering bodies,” said Bhesh Raj Rijal, a senior police official in the district.
Family members gathered at the site have lost hope of finding their loved ones alive, according to officials.
“They are requesting us to at least recover the bodies. The atmosphere here is grim,” said Khimananda Bhusal, a local government official.
Since mid-June, landslides and floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have resulted in over 100 deaths in Nepal.
In response to the landslide, the government announced plans to ban nighttime bus travel in areas with adverse weather forecasts.
