Excavator Driver Buried, Assistant Driver Injured in Dry Landslide During Road Construction

Mugu: A dry landslide triggered during road construction in Khatyad Rural Municipality of Mugu district has buried an excavator (skyvator) along with its driver, while the assistant driver was injured.

The sudden dry landslide collapsed from above on Monday morning around 8:30 AM while cutting a new road section to connect the Bailey bridge on the Mugu–Rara inner road corridor in Bira Khola, located in Khatyad Rural Municipality-11.

The landslide buried the excavator (registration number Ba 3 Ka 3276) and its driver, 24-year-old Bimal Bag, a native of Bajhang. Police reported that search and rescue operations are underway after the driver was buried inside the excavator under the debris.

The assistant driver, 22-year-old Binay Malla of Soru Rural Municipality-1, sustained injuries in the incident. He was standing outside the excavator monitoring for falling rocks when he was struck by falling debris, causing injuries to his hands and legs. DSP Rabi Raj Thapalia of the District Police Office informed that Malla is in stable condition and able to speak.

A police team was deployed immediately after the incident for rescue work. A total of 13 police personnel—a 6-member team led by Senior Sub-Inspector Nibandha Budha from the Ratapani Area Police Office and a 7-member team led by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Aanand Kumar Pyakurel from the Majhchaur Police Post—have reached the site and are conducting rescue operations.

The incident site is located approximately 7 kilometers east of the Ratapani Area Police Office and 11 kilometers west of the Majhchaur Police Post. Police stated that further details are awaited.