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More than 40,000 domestic and international tourists visited Mustang in the first 10 days of the month of Kartik.

The District Police Office, Mustang, stated that 37,146 domestic tourists and 3,732 foreigners arrived in Mustang district via the Beni-Jomsom road section from October 18 to 17.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Mustang, Tshiring Kippa Lama, said that a total of 11,808 vehicles entered into the district during the period via the Beni-Jomsom route. 

Some of the tourists arriving in the district to pay homage to the Muktinath temple on October 27 were affected due to snowfall that occurred on the same night. 

Tourists in the areas were affected following the rainfall and snowfall occurring since Monday night, police said.

Heavy snow in the trails along the Kagbeni Muktinath temple road section has troubled tourists and devotees, official of the Muktinath Mandir Development Committee Rabin Subedi said.

Subedi said that the Muktinath Snankunda (pond) and 108 taps have frozen following the massive dip in temperature, Subedi added.

Weather is likely to be affected in Bagmati, Madhesh and Koshi Provinces from Thursday to Saturday due to cyclone 'Montha' developed in the Bay of Bengal. 

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology informed that the influence of the system is likely to cause moderate rainfall in many areas of Madhesh and Koshi Provinces, as well as in some areas of Bagmati Province. 

There is also a possibility of heavy rainfall in one or two places in Madhesh and Koshi Provinces, it is stated. 

Light rainfall is expected in some areas of the eastern parts of Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces. 

As the system turns active, there is a chance of moderate snowfall in some areas of the high hill and mountainous regions of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces, and in some areas of the high hill and mountainous regions of Gandaki Province, informed Spokesperson of the Department Bibhuti Pokhrel. 

Similarly, there is a chance of heavy snowfall in one or two places in the high hill and mountainous regions of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces. 

The water flow in the Bagmati, Kamala, Koshi, and Kankai rivers, along with their tributaries, is expected to increase significantly, potentially reaching alert levels, the Department noted. 

There is also a high possibility of abrupt flooding in small rivers flowing through the Kathmandu Valley, Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Sindhuli in Bagmati province; Bara, Parsa, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Mahottari, Dhanusha, and Saptari in Madhes province; and Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, Panchthar, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Ilam, Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari districts in Koshi Province. 

Due to potential rainfall and snowfall, risks such as sudden flooding and landslides in rivers and streams may arise, which could also affect daily life, road and air transportation, agriculture, tourism, and other sectors. 

Hence, the department has called for all concerned agencies and the general public to adopt precautionary and safety measures.

As many as 750 persons stranded at Tilicho base camp of a mountainous district, Manang, have been rescued by a joint squad of the Nepali Army, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police.

APF Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa informed that they were brought to Khangsar of Disyang Rural Municipality -9 from the base camp. The people who had reached there for the visit were stranded after the blizzard last night.

However, 50 others are kept safely at the base camp. 

Meanwhile, Nepal Mountain Rescue Training Institute of the Armed Police Force rescued 45-year-old Birendra Rasaili after he fainted with altitude sickness. He was returning home after visiting Tilicho Lake. He was taken to Humde Health Post from Khangsar.

Rasaili is originally from Kathmandu Metropolis-31. 

With the establishment of the Training Institute, the search and rescue of the missing and stranded ones have been easier. 

Manang and Mustang, the two trans-Himalayan districts in Gandaki Province, experienced heavy rains in the last 24 hours. 

According to Dinkar Kayastha, Information Officer at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the heavy rains were recorded in the two districts due to the influence of Westerly winds and a low-pressure system developed in the Arabian Sea.

In the last 24 hours, Chame of Manang received 64.4 millimeters of rain, followed by 51.2 mm in Jomsom of Mustang. Rainfall from 50-100 mm is categorized as heavy.

Besides Manang and Mustang, various other districts experienced moderate rain in the past 12 hours. 

As of 3:40 pm, Dunai of Dolpa witnessed 36 mm of rain and Jumla witnessed 13 mm. Baglung and Parbat recorded 24 mm, Pyuthan 21.8 mm, Sindhupalchowk 29.6 mm, Chitwan 23 mm, and Lamjung 27 mm of rainfall.

Mountain districts have experienced heavy snowfall, while the lower regions recorded rain. The cold has increased in the Kathmandu Valley, which is experiencing light rain.

As per the Department’s forecast, some places in the high hills and mountain regions of Bagmati, Gandaki, and Karnali Provinces are likely to see heavy snowfall and rain tonight.

Shanti Mahat, spokesperson for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, urged everyone to take precautions amidst the forecast for rains and snowfall.