Security Forces Rescue 72 Tourists Stranded by Snowfall in Annapurna Region

Security forces have rescued 72 tourists, including 17 foreigners, who were stranded due to heavy snowfall at the Annapurna Base Camp in Myagdi district.

As of Thursday morning, all 72 tourists, including foreigners, had been rescued with the help of the Armed Police Force (APF), Nepal Police, and local residents. The Maurice Herzog Trail –leading to Annapurna Base Camp North – remained blanketed by snow since Monday night. APF Deputy Superintendent of Police Leela Bahadur Bhujel said the rescued tourists were safely brought down to Humkhola.

The base camp, situated at an altitude of 4,190 meters above sea level, was hit 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 cleared on Wednesday following heavy snowfall but deteriorated again with fresh snow on Thursday morning.

According to the District Administration Office, security personnel were also mobilized from Myagdi to assist in the rescue of tourists who faced difficulties after the Hidden Valley along the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek—linking Myagdi to Mustang—was covered with snow.

Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp banned until Friday

Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Badri Prasad Tiwari, said visits to the Annapurna Base Camp have been prohibited from Monday to Friday (October 31) after assessing potential risks from continuous snowfall and rain.

The District Administration Office and the Annapurna Rural Municipality have issued a public notice urging people to avoid visiting high-altitude areas such as Khopra Lek, Ghodepani, Pun Hill, and Mohare Danda and to take necessary precautions.

Meanwhile, a rescue operation is underway for three British female tourists and 12 Nepali guides and porters who encountered problems in the Hidden Valley at an altitude of 5,100 meters while traveling along the Dhaulagiri Base Camp to Marpha in Mustang.

A joint rescue team comprising trained personnel from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, which departed from Jomsom on Wednesday, reached Alubari in Marpha (3,700 meters) on Thursday morning, according to Mustang Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Bhushal.

“We have received information that the group has reached Dhampul Lek from Hidden Valley. The security team is heading toward the pass, and if the weather permits, they are expected to meet the tourists soon,” Bhushal said.

Fifteen trained security personnel under the command of Major Prashant Bista from the Nepali Army’s High Altitude Training Academy in Jomsom have been deployed for the operation. -- With inputs from RSS