More than 100 foreign trekkers were stranded on Nepal's Manaslu trekking route on Monday after flash floods in the Gorkha district washed away bridges, trails and hundreds of homes, with rescue teams carrying out operations as river levels receded.
More than 100 foreign trekkers are stranded in different areas of the popular Manaslu trekking trail in central Nepal after a predawn landslide on Sunday blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, sending floodwaters through the valley about 100km west of Kathmandu.
Bhuwan Raj Ojha, an official of the Manaslu Conservation Area Project, told the Reuters news agency on Monday that part of the route had been swept away. "Those hikers who want to return because of the flood need to be rescued. Those who want to continue their trekking can do so from locations that are safe," he said. "There are restaurants and tea houses along the route. They are safe."
Authorities rescued 321 people on Monday, including 12 foreigners, and the army said the operation would continue on Tuesday. There have been no reports of deaths, but five villagers are out of contact after black sludge and debris washed away more than 200 homes and damaged infrastructure, including three hydroelectric plants, according to national disaster authorities.
One stranded trekker, Md Shahadat Hossain of Bangladesh, told the Anadolu agency from Jagat village that nine Bangladeshis were waiting for a possible helicopter evacuation. "We are safe, but there has been no electricity since yesterday, communication with the outside world has been disrupted, and food supplies are gradually running short," he said.
The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River, downstream of the site of a glacier collapse in August that caused a catastrophic flood killing 1,457 people, with thousands still missing.
Gorkha district authorities have asked villagers living along the riverbanks downstream to evacuate, and national disaster authorities have alerted residents in the Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- More than 100 foreign trekkers are cut off with limited electricity, communications and food, and rescue teams face a race against time before supplies run short.
- The floods hit a region still recovering from an August glacier collapse disaster that killed 1,457 people, underscoring how suddenly Himalayan valleys can be overwhelmed.
- Damage to trails, bridges and three hydroelectric plants will disrupt the Manaslu trekking season and the local communities that depend on it.
Background
Nepal's high Himalayan valleys are highly vulnerable to flash floods and landslides, particularly when unstable terrain and glacial activity release sudden volumes of water and debris. The Manaslu circuit is one of Nepal's major long-distance trekking routes, running through remote valleys where roads and trails can be quickly cut off. In this case, a predawn landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, and the resulting flood washed away homes, infrastructure and sections of the trekking path. The August glacier collapse further upstream, which killed more than 1,400 people, is a reminder of the region's exposure to such disasters.
Key Perspectives
Local officials and rescue authorities: An official of the Manaslu Conservation Area Project says trekkers are in safe locations with functioning tea houses and restaurants, and that those who wish to continue trekking can do so. The army says rescue operations will continue on Tuesday.
Stranded trekkers: Trekkers awaiting evacuation, including nine Bangladeshis in Jagat village, report no electricity, disrupted communications and dwindling food supplies, and are hoping for helicopter rescue.
Concerns and sceptics: Official assurances of safety sit uneasily with the damage on the ground: more than 200 homes washed away, three hydroelectric plants damaged, five villagers out of contact, and evacuation alerts issued for downstream districts, suggesting the danger is not over.
What to Watch
- Whether Tuesday's army-led rescue operation reaches all remaining stranded trekkers before supplies run short.
- The status of the five villagers still out of contact and whether the number of missing changes.
- Downstream river levels in the five alerted districts, and whether evacuation orders are expanded.