30 killed, 35 injured in Nepal bus accident

Officials say the bus veered off a mountain road in northwest Nepal

Kathmandu

: An official says an overcrowded bus carrying passengers inside and on its roof veered off a mountain road in northwest Nepal, killing 30 people and injuring 35 others.

Government administrator Shiv Ram Gelal said the bus drove off the road Tuesday near Ramche village and rolled about 150 meters (500 feet) down a slope.

Gelal said the bus was packed with passengers because of a severe fuel shortage in the country that has limited transportation.

Police, soldiers and local villagers helped recover injured people and bodies from the wreckage.

The site is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of the capital, Kathmandu.

Accidents in Nepal are generally caused by poorly maintained roads and vehicles.