Lucknow: Moments after the sleeper bus flipped on the Purvanchal Expressway in Gosainganj, survivors said there many mistook it for a natural disaster rather than a road accident. With the deafening crash of metal, bodies being flung, and clouds of dust engulfing the highway, passengers described a terrifying few seconds that felt “like an earthquake”.Radha Rani, a passenger travelling from Ludhiana to Bihar, said she realised the gravity of the situation only after the bus overturned. “The bus suddenly flipped. Only after it overturned did I realise an accident had happened,” she said. Bijaya Rai from Bihar, clutching his bandaged arm, recalled, “We thought it was an earthquake. The sound of metal crashing and bodies being thrown around was terrifying.” Ayushi, 40, from Katihar said the sudden jolt left no time to react. “The ground shook, dust filled the air, and I thought some natural calamity struck. We had no chance to run,” she said. Raman Kumar said, “It felt like the sky fell on us.” Mohammed Afzal from Motihari said he feared being buried alive. Vimla Devi from Muzaffarpur, who was travelling from Punjab, said the bus “turned on its side and cartwheeled twice”, throwing passengers and luggage in all directions.
