Sarlahi/makawanpur, Nov. 13 -- Nirmala Devi Yadav, 49, had been preparing for Chhath since early Wednesday. She had readied everything including offerings for the festival, which falls on Sunday. All that remained was to welcome her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren home from Kathmandu. That reunion will never happen.

A microbus travelling from Kathmandu plunged about 700 metres down a slope from the main road at Chisapanigadhi in ward 6 of Bhimphedi Rural Municipality of Makawanpur district at around 5:45 am on Thursday. The vehicle (Madhesh Province 03-001 Ja 0880) was carrying 20 people, including the driver, despite having only 14 seats.

The crash that occurred about eight kilometres north of the Area Police Office in Bhimphed...