Thaindian News

Kathmandu, May 4 (IANS) Sixteen people died in a bus smash in western Nepal Wednesday and several more survivors were grappling with death just hours after another crash in eastern Nepal killed 12 more passengers.

Police said a night bus carrying nearly 50 people fell off the mountainous road in Doti district barrelling down almost 300 metres below, killing 14 people on the spot. Two more succumbed to their injuries in Doti hospital while 22 people were fighting for their lives, with many of them in critical condition.

The driver could have fallen asleep while behind the wheel, an initial media report said, though it was not immediately confirmed by the authorities.

The mishap came a day after 12 people died in another bus accident in Sindhuli district.

Bad roads, rash driving and poorly maintained vehicles are the major causes of road accidents in Nepal that has one of the highest fatality records in Asia.

Western governments in their travel advisories especially advise against undertaking journeys by buses that travel through night as overworked drivers often fall asleep while driving or drive while under the influence of alcohol.