Kathmandu, 7 Sep: Tourism in the Manaslu region has been affected by floods in the Budhi Gandaki River and Therang Khola at Namrung in Chumnubri Rural Municipality–4, northern Gorkha.
According to Assistant Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma, tourism in the Manaslu Conservation Area has been affected after floods in the Budhi Gandaki River and Therang Khola on Sunday morning damaged two bridges and the main trekking trails.
He said, “The flood swept away the iron bridge connecting Chumnubri Rural Municipality–4 and Ward No. 2, as well as the suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki River leading from the rural municipality toward the Namrung forest. As a result, tourists heading toward Sanagaun for mountaineering and trekking have been affected. Since the flood has also damaged two major trekking trails, local residents and tourists have been temporarily prohibited from trekking. The damage to the trails and suspension bridges has affected locals and tourists traveling for mountaineering.”
Although there were no human casualties, he said that tourists currently traveling in the area and those preparing to visit have been temporarily prohibited from undertaking journeys because the Manaslu and Larkya Pass trekking trails have been damaged.
He said mountaineers heading to climb Manaslu have been particularly affected by the floods. In coordination with the police and local authorities, preparations are underway to reopen the blocked trekking trails as soon as possible.
According to the Department of Tourism, a total of 348 climbers from 29 teams have obtained permits to climb Manaslu during this year’s autumn season (September–October). Of them, 263 are men and 85 are women preparing to climb Manaslu. The highest number of climbers are from China, with 55, followed by 39 from Russia, 32 from the United States, 27 from France, 24 from the United Kingdom, and 15 from Nepal.
According to the department, a total of 367 climbers from 32 teams have obtained permits to climb Manaslu, Makalu, and Dhaulagiri during the autumn season. Three climbers have received permits to climb Mount Makalu this year, while 16 had obtained permits to climb Dhaulagiri as of Sunday. The department has collected Rs. 159,620,828 in revenue from mountaineering permits for the three mountains.
According to the Mountaineering Operators’ Association, efforts to clear the routes and carry out rope fixing for the autumn climbing season are currently progressing rapidly. A seven-member team of skilled Sherpas, known as icefall doctors, assigned to open the route to the summit of Manaslu has completed the route up to Camp II. Once the route to the summit is prepared, the main climbing route will be opened to all climbers.
