Nepal bus crash kills at least two dozen people

Oct. 12 (UPI) -- A bus crash in northwest Nepal killed at least two dozen people and injured several others, local authorities said Tuesday.

Police told The Kathmandu Post the passenger bus plunged some 980 feet down a hillside in the Mugu district. The death toll from the crash varied, with BBC News reporting 28 people dead and the Post saying at least 32.

Multiple people were injured and the death toll could increase.

Chief District Officer Rom Bahadur Mahat told the Post that local residents and officials with the Nepal army, police and armed police force responded to the scene to assist victims.

"The accident took place in difficult terrain, causing huge human casualties," Mahat said. "Our preliminary investigation shows that the accident took place due to a brake failure."

He said an investigation was underway.

Mahat said many of the victims were migrant workers and students returning to school after celebrating the Dashain holiday.

Police said it's unclear how many people were aboard the bus when it crashed.