At least nine passengers have been confirmed dead after a bus en route to Lamjung from Damauli met with an accident in Tamakhani village of Madhya Nepal Municipality, Thursday evening. According to Assistant Sub Inspector Jit Bahadur Thapa, who was involved in rescue operation, among the dead are five males and four females. The identity deceased could not be established till late evening. Twelve other passengers were seriously injured with nine of them in critical condition, according to the police. Those in critical condition were sent to a hospital in Tanahun via ambulance while the rest of the injured were sent on passenger buses. The fateful bus veered off the road and fell some 400 meters down hill, said Thapa, the assistant sub inspector.Although the road where the accident occurred has sharp turns and slopes, the cause of the accident has not been ascertained yet. The police said the rescue operation was hindered by a heavy rainfall. The driver of the bus is absconding.\