Tourists who had gone to visit Tilicho Lake (4,919 m) and pass Thorangla (5,416 m) have started returning since Wednesday morning.
What you should know
The weather has started to clear up as snowfall has stopped in Manang. Tourists who had gone to visit Tilicho Lake (4,919 m) and pass Thorangla (5,416 m) have started returning since Wednesday morning. Some of those who returned from Tilicho Base Camp on Monday evening are staying in Khangsar.
Hom Bahadur Gurung of Pasgaun, Kholasothar Rural Municipality-6, Lamjung said that the snowfall started as soon as he reached Khangsar on Monday and then stopped.
‘Some of us are here (Khangsar), we are staying at the homestay. We are waiting for the vehicle after the road opens. Some have come down on foot since morning,’ he said. He said that the weather is gradually clearing from Khangsar to the lower area and up towards Tilicho. Khangsar is the highest village towards Tilicho.
According to Karma Ongel Ghale, chairman of the Hotel Management Committee Upper Manang, nearly 200 people who came down from the Tilicho area were arranged for rooms, dining and other places on Tuesday night. According to him, some had gone to Bhraka due to difficulty in arranging. He said that the tourists had gone towards Chame since Wednesday morning. ‘The weather has cleared a bit, there are clouds, there is also sunshine,’ he said, ‘Some walked on their motorcycles. Some walked from here in jeeps, some took jeeps from below and are walking. Some are here.’ According to him, some foreigners who went to Thorangla Pass have also returned. He said that about 150 have returned from Upper Manang Village so far.
According to Ranger Prakash Adhikari of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Area Conservation Office, Manang, the snowfall has stopped now. Tourists have returned from Thorangla Base Camp.
‘Those who have time are waiting for the weather. Those who have less time have come down without passing Thorangla Pass,’ he said. According to him, the ‘weather forecast’ has shown snow again since Thursday. He said that it would be safer and more organized to go to the lower area rather than stopping at the top. He said that foreign tourists have been banned from going towards Thorangla and Tilicho.
DSP Hari Poudel, Chief of the District Police Office, Manang, said that tourists are returning to the lower area and the security committee is facilitating them. ‘There were about 400 in Khangsar. We are facilitating,' he said, 'It is understood that no one is sick or disabled.' He said that those who were walking had been walking since morning and those who were not walking would walk after the road was opened to allow motorists to drive.
According to Chief District Officer Nawaraj Paudyal, the road to Khangsar was expected to be open by 1 pm. He said that in coordination with hoteliers, those returning from Tilicho area were managed in Khangsar, Manang, Tanki Manang, Bhraka, Humde, Pisang, Dhikur Pokhari and other areas and those walking have started returning since morning.
According to him, 25 people were managed in Khangsar's monastery. According to him, 6 vehicles from the administration, police, army, and local level were taken to Upper Manang for rescue. According to him, more than 15 jeeps from Upper Manang and Humde took tourists towards Besisahar.
He said that 2 minibuses from Besisahar to Chame and 10 jeeps for the upper area had already left in the morning. According to him, one dozer from Khangsar to Manang village, one dozer from Humde to Manang village and one more in Humde have been mobilized to open the road. ‘The road from Chame to Manang village has been opened. Now it is up to Khangsar. Once the road up to Khangsar is opened, all the tourists will descend to the lower area,’ he said.
