Pokhara school bus accident kills five people

At least five people were killed and 19 others injured after a school bus plunged into a gorge in the Pokhara metropolitan area of Nepal early Friday morning. The vehicle, belonging to Kalika English Boarding School, skidded off the road at Okhleko Bhir in the Kaski district at approximately 6:20 a.m.

The deceased include four students—three girls and one boy—and one parent. The bus was primarily transporting Grade 10 students returning from tuition classes. Emergency responders transported the injured to Gandaki Medical College and Western Regional Hospital. One police officer was reportedly injured while assisting in the rescue operation.

While the exact cause of the accident is under investigation, the incident follows a trend of increasing road accidents in Nepal. Official data indicates that road accidents in the country have risen significantly, with 7,669 accidents and 1,900 deaths recorded in the 2024-25 fiscal year. The Nepali government has recently introduced the Road Safety Bill to the House of Representatives to address these growing safety concerns.