The weather in eastern Nepal has been clear since Sunday. Snow has begun to fall on the mountains. Rice ears have begun to ripen in the valleys of the fields.

Despite the sunny weather, the road to Tibet has not yet opened. After the heavy snowfall last week blocked the road, those who have been to Tibet and those returning from there have not been able to reach their destinations.

19 people who were walking from Kartik 4 to 12 due to various work have been stopped in the middle as the road has not been opened. 5 girls from Yangma, Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-7, who were walking to their relatives in Tibet, have also been stopped in Olangchunggola since Kartik 12. 6 Nepalis who have reached Tibet for work have not been able to return home.

According to Phaktanglung-7 Ward Chairman Cheten Sherpa Lama, the Chinese immigration office has not opened for entry and exit. The road is completely blocked due to snow. There is also uncertainty as to when it will open. Ward Chairman Chheten said that there is confusion because the snow on the road on the Chinese side is thicker than on the Nepal side and it has to be cleared using machines. ‘I am currently in the district headquarters, Phungling. People from the village above (Olangchungola) are contacting me every morning and evening asking when it will open. People in Riu have also been asking when they can return,’ said Chheten. ‘The police chief who oversees the border of Dingze County, China, has said that they cannot clear the snow until machines are installed. There is confusion about when it will open.’

Chheten said that the Tibetan administration had asked the district people’s government for permission to open the road and that work would begin only after the district gave permission. Compared to Nepal, the snow on the Chinese side takes a long time to melt. ‘Since it is warmer on our side, the snow starts melting when the sun shines. When the sun is shining, you can make your own way by walking. But the road will not open until the snow is cleared by machines from there,’ said Chheten. He said that there is no other option than walking from Riu to the border now.

Phutik Sherpa, Lamu Sherpa, Phumu Sherpa, Khanje Sherpa, and others, who have relatives in Riu in Dingze County, China, had walked to their relatives carrying their baskets. Before leaving the village, they registered their details at the ward office in Olangchungola. The ward office sent it to the Riu administration. After it gave permission, the ward informed them that they could go. It takes a day on foot to reach Olangchungola from Yangma.

On October 21, 6 people including ward member Phupulhamu Sherpa of Faktanglung-7, another ward member Wadgya Sherpa, his wife Jodegi Sherpa, Sonam Sherpa, Dabaphuti Sherpa and Chhavesang Sherpa, who had gone to Riu from Tiptala Bhanjyang on Kartik 4, are also stuck in Riu. They were also preparing to return on Kartik 12.

The Tibetan administration had planned to bring those returning from Tibet to the border on this day and allow those going from Nepal to pass through immigration. They were stuck after the snow from the previous day completely covered the bilateral border from Tiptala Bhanjyang to the territory of both countries. ‘We had already loaded the luggage in the vehicle, but we stopped here after the news of heavy snowfall came during our journey and the traffic was stopped,’ Phupulhamu said in a message sent to Ward Chairman Cheten Sherpa Lama via WeChat.

Tiptala Bhanjyang is at an altitude of 5100 meters above sea level. Tenzing Sherpa, an employee of the ward office, says that snowfall occurs here with the change in the seasonal system. It is difficult for the residents of Olangchunggola to get information about this. ‘There is no telephone service at the border, and it is not visible even from the settlement below,’ said Ward Chairman Cheten. ‘We have to ask the Riu administration whether there is snow at the border.’ He said that even that would not be possible if the telephone and internet were not working in Olangchunggola.

According to Tenzing, sometimes we have to reach a place called Jongin, which is a three-hour walk away, to use the internet. When the weather is good, the 4G network of the headquarters tower is operational here. ‘The details of the citizens going to Tibet through the Tiptala border crossing and the photocopy of the border pass identity card provided by the Taplejung District Administration should be sent to the Rio administration a week in advance. After they look at the details and give permission, we finally send them from here,’ said Tenzing, ‘Otherwise, the immigration people from there will not come to the border and those who have gone from here will not be able to go and will only suffer.’