KATHMANDU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Six people have been killed and dozens injured in a bus accident in Nawalparasi district in western Nepal, police authorities said on Sunday.
The accident occurred when the ill-fated bus en route to Nepal's western city of Bhairahawa slipped off the road and plunged down into a gorge at Madhyabindu Municipality along the East-West Highway.
Local police officer Ramesh Thapa, who is currently involved in the rescue operation, told Xinhua by phone that six passengers died on the spot while around 51 were injured.
Thapa said the injured are undergoing treatment at local hospitals, adding that the death toll may increase.
Overspeed, drunk driving, poorly-maintained roads and shoddy conditions of public vehicles have significantly led to frequent road accidents in recent years in Nepal, media reports said.