- Saturday, 27 December 2025
Myagdi, Oct 30: Security forces have rescued 72 tourists, including 17 foreigners, who were stranded due to heavy snowfall at the Annapurna Base Camp in Myagdi.
Security personnel were mobilized from Myagdi to assist in the rescue of tourists facing difficulties after the Hidden Valley along the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, which connects Myagdi to Mustang, was covered with snow.
As of Thursday morning, all 72 tourists, including foreigners, were rescued with the help of the Armed Police Force, civil police, and local residents. The trekking route has remained blanketed by snow since Monday night. APF Deputy Superintendent of Police Leela Bahadur Bhujel confirmed that the rescued tourists have been brought down safely to Humkhola.
Twenty tourists who had lost their way were rescued with the help of cables. Snow along the Maurice Herzog route was cleared to facilitate their descent.
The base camp, situated at an altitude of 4,190 meters above sea level, was affected by rain, snowfall, and bad weather, forcing tourists to halt their journey. Visitors staying in hotels at Humkhola, Phutphute, Sadhikharka, Gufaphant, Bhusket Mela, and Panchakunda were safely evacuated with the assistance of security forces.
The weather in these areas remained largely clear throughout Wednesday following the snowfall, but snowfall resumed on Thursday morning.
Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp prohibited till tomorrow
Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Badri Prasad Tiwari, said that visits to the Annapurna Base Camp have been prohibited from Monday to Friday (Oct 31) after an assessment of potential risks due to snowfall and rain.
The District Administration Office and the Annapurna Rural Municipality have issued public notice appealing people not to visit areas such as Khopra Lek, Ghodepani, Pun Hill, and Moharedada and to adopt precaution.
Meanwhile, a security team has been deployed to rescue three British female tourists and 12 Nepali guides and porters who encountered problems in the ‘Hidden Valley’ at an altitude of 5,100 metres above sea level while travelling via the base camp of Dhaulagiri in Dhawalagiri-4, Myagdi, to Marpha in Gharapjhong Rural Municipality-2, Mustang.
The team comprising the trained personnel of the Nepali Army, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police, which set off from Jomsom on Wednesday for the rescue, reached Alubari in Marpha at an altitude of 3,700 metres above sea level on Thursday morning, said Bishnu Prasad Bhushal, Chief District Officer of Mustang.
“We have received information that the group of tourists has reached Dhampul Lek (mountain pass) from Hidden Valley. The security team is making their way towards the Lek. If the weather permits, we expect the security personnel and tourists to meet by the afternoon today.”
Fifteen trained security personnel have been deployed for the rescue under the command of Major Prashant Bishta from the Nepali Army’s High Altitude Training Academy in Jomsom.
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Weather update: Rain expected in most parts of country until Saturday morning
Kathmandu, Oct 30: The Meteorology Forecasting Division has stated that the ‘Montha’ cyclone will bring rainfall to most parts of the country until Saturday morning.
Bibhuti Pokharel, spokesperson of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, told RSS that intermittent rainfall will take place in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, moderate rain in other provinces, and the weather will start improving only from Saturday morning.
She said that there will be rain in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas in the next 24 hours. However, continuous rain will not occur in all places of the Valley, she added.
Spokesperson Pokharel maintained that there is a possibility of heavy snowfall in the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali provinces in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Meteorological Forecasting Division, the cyclone ‘Montha’ that developed in the Bay of Bengal made a landfall in Andhra Pradesh, India on the night of October 28.
It said after that the system gradually weakened, moving towards the north and northwest, approaching closer to the central region of Nepal as a low-pressure area, and then moving eastward.
According to the Division, this system will affect the weather in Bagmati, Madhes and Koshi provinces of Nepal from today until November 1.
The influence of the said weather system indicates a possibility of moderate rainfall in most parts of Madhesh and Koshi provinces and some places of Bagmati province.
The Meteorological Forecasting Division has urged everyone to take necessary precautions as there is a possibility of heavy rainfall in one or two places in those provinces.
District administration urges tourists not to travel in high mountain region until Nov. 1
The District Administration Office, Sankhuwasabha has urged tourists not to travel on tourist trails in the high Himalayan region of Sankhuwasabha due to ongoing rain and snowfall.
The office has issued a notice requesting people not to travel to the Makalu Base Camp and the northern Himalayan region trails until November 1.
Due to the adverse weather and the continuous rainfall and snowfall in high mountainous areas including the Makalu base camp since Tuesday, tourists are requested to exercise high caution, said Chief District Officer Sirjana Thapaliya.
She urged one and all not to trek in high Himalayan areas until the 15th of Kartik (November 1) owing to the risks associated with the continuous rain and snowfall.
With continuous snowfall taking place in the northern region above 4,000 metres from the sea level and the increasing the cold along with the possibility of shortages of food and other essential supplies, Chief District Officer Thapaliya has said that it would be appropriate not to travel to Makalu Base Camp and the northern Himalayan trails.
The administration has stated that more than 200 climbers, including 70 foreigners, are in the Makalu base camp.
CDO Thapaliya said that there has been rain and snowfall in the high Himalayan areas including Makalu and Sabhapokhari of the district.
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