KATHMANDU: The death toll from a bus accident in Lubhughat of Ramechhap on Tuesday has climbed to 13.

According to the police, nine died on the spot while four others out of 24 taken to hospital died while receiving treatment at Dhulikhel Hospital.

A passenger bus (Ba 3 Kha 8396) coming to Kathmandu from Ramechhap veered off the road and plunged around 40 kilometers down at Lubhughat of Khanda Devi Rural Municipality 1 at around 10 am this morning.

Twelve of the 13 victims have been identified, according to Ramechhap Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raj Kumar Thing.

The police have taken driver of the ill-fated bus Prem Bahadur Ghatani of Dolakha in custody.

The driver has attributed the accident to brake failure during interrogation.

The police are conducting further investigation on the accident.