“We are still busy searching for bodies around the area where the bus fell,” he said. The injured were rushed to a hospital.
The bus, which started from the city of Nepalgunj was just a few kilometers (miles) short of its destination, Gamgadhi town in Mugu district, when it veered off the road.
It is not clear what caused the crash or how many passengers were on board. Officials feared that the death toll could rise as rescue operations were still underway.
Road accidents are common in mountainous Nepal and are often blamed on poorly maintained vehicles and highways, and narrow roads with sharp bends.