Submit your Article

Rescue efforts are underway for 12 domestic tourists and three British women who are stranded due to heavy snowfall in Hidden Valley, Mustang. 

Spokesperson of the Nepal Army, Rajaram Basnet, said that efforts are underway to airlift 12 domestic tourists and three British women stranded in Hidden Valley, adding that continuous snowfall and bad weather have caused some problems in the rescue bid.

“The tourists are in normal (health) condition, and coordination with the travel company for rescue is underway,” he said.

The 15 tourists were stranded in the valley after continuous snowfall from Monday night covered the trekking route while travelling from Mudi, Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality-4 in Myagdi via the Italian base camp to Marpha, Gharapjhong Rural Municipality-2 in Mustang.

Meanwhile, a team of security personnel have rescued around 1,500 tourists trapped in the upper region of Manang due to continuous snowfall.

According to the Army spokesperson Basnet, 1,500 people, including 200 foreign tourists stranded in various places of Tilicho, Khangsar, Pisang, Upper Manang and Humde areas of Manang, have been rescued.

The rescue team deployed from the Nepal Army's New Bhairavidal Company in Manang, in collaboration with the local administration, people's representatives, the Armed Police Force Nepal, and Nepal Police, had brought the tourists to a safe location.

Normal life has been thrown out of gear in Manang following a recent heavy snowfall in the district.

Although security personnel have been making continuous efforts since this morning to rescue those stranded due to the snow, the lack of vehicles has made the rescue operations challenging.

According to Chief District Officer Nawa Raj Poudyal, rescue operations have already begun, but many of the available vehicles have also been trapped in the snow. There is a shortage of additional vehicles to assist with the rescue efforts.

Visitors, who were stranded at the Tilicho Lake Base Camp have been rescued, and additional arrangements have been made at Khangar to accommodate them.

Some tourists have been accommodated in homestays, while others have been placed in private shelters.

According to the CDO, all foreign tourists are safe so far.

Heavy snowfall since this morning has blanketed different parts of Mustang district.

Vehicular movement along the Charang-Lho Manthang road section has been affected due to the heavy snowfall, police said.

Tshiring Kippa Lama, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of District Police Office, Mustang, said that the vehicular movement has been affected due to the snowfall from Thurlungphant to Lho Manthang of the road section.

DSP Lama stated that the area has witnessed massive snowfall, creating obstruction in mobility.

Security personnel deployed at the Border Out Post at Nhechung in Lho Manthang cleared the snow along the Chhoser-Korala road section on Tuesday.

However, the road section from Kagbeni to Muktinath area, which was blocked after the snowfall, has now resumed.

The mountain districts have experienced heavy snowfall, while the lower regions recorded rain.

The risk of dengue fever is rising in Baitadi district, with 18 cases reported in the past three months, according to Jaya Singh Badal, a lab technician at the District Health Office.

Six cases were confirmed in Dasharath Chand Municipality, three in Purchaudi Municipality, eight in Melauli Municipality, and one in Patan Municipality, Badal said.

Other local levels in the district have not reported the dengue patients as of now in this year.

Last year, a total of 106 dengue patients were confirmed in Baitadi.

Likewise, the Office has run a 'search and destroy campaign' against mosquito larvae. Badal stated that the campaign to eliminate mosquito larvae was initiated in different areas in the district as part of prevention and control efforts, since mosquitoes are still active during this season too.