Bus Rolls Off Cliff in Peru’s Celendin Region, At Least 23 Dead!

Celendin, located in the highlands of northern Peru, has been shaken by a tragic event. The town of Celendin, in the Cajamarca region, was recently grief-stricken by a terrible bus accident that killed at least 23 people.
The bus tumbled down a 200-meter cliff on an unpaved and thorny road and shattered into pieces. Prosecutor Olga Bobadilla shared details of the incident and announced three days of mourning in the region following the accident.

These rugged roads in northern Peru are a reflection of the country’s difficult geography. Experts say the poor maintenance of the roads and harsh weather conditions pave the way for such tragedies. According to Bobadilla, most of the passengers on the bus at the time of the accident were locals and were on their way to a regional market. Rescue teams arrived at the scene and raced against time to rescue those trapped under the wreckage. Unfortunately, several passengers died on the spot.

Following the accident, 15 injured people were rushed to hospital. Some of them are in serious condition. Medical personnel are making intense efforts to keep the injured alive. However, difficult terrain conditions are negatively affecting rescue and treatment efforts. Local authorities are calling for more road safety measures to prevent such accidents.

This is the third major bus accident in Peru in the last year. A similar tragedy occurred in September 2023, killing 24 people. In January, another bus accident killed 48 people. Experts cite inadequate road infrastructure and low transport safety standards as the main reasons for the frequency of such accidents.

Road safety expert Dr. Luis Miranda emphasizes that urgent measures are needed to prevent such accidents. “Improved road infrastructure, increased driver training and more frequent inspections could prevent such tragedies,” he says. The Peruvian government has launched road safety campaigns across the country, aiming to prevent such incidents.

But for the grieving Celendin, these words are not enough. As residents mourn the loss of loved ones, they are raising their voices for safer roads. “This must be the last time,” the mayor of Celendin said in an emotional appeal, calling on the government to take concrete steps.

A passenger who survived the accident describes his experience as follows: “It happened all at once. The bus shook and then we started rolling with a big noise. I closed my eyes and thought of my family. It was too late.” These painful memories are deeply imprinted in the minds of all those affected by the accident.

In Peru, bus accidents are not only tragic events that make the news, they are also indicative of deep social and infrastructural problems. Experts say that national strategic and comprehensive planning is essential to address these problems. The tragedy in Celendin once again highlights the vital importance of roads and transportation infrastructure in Peru.