Banke/Kathmandu, July 3
Flights from Nepalgunj to the mountainous and hilly districts of Karnali Province have been shut following incessant rainfall. Consequently, over 1,000 Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet have been stranded halfway.
Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj wrote on Twitter that around 525 Indians have been stranded in Simikot whereas around 550 in Hilsa of Humla district.
“Indian Embassy in Nepal has deployed representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot. They are touch with the pilgrims and ensuring that food and lodging facilities are available to all the pilgrims,” she says, “We have requested Government of Nepal for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indian nationals.”
Meanwhile, the Embassy says it is continuously monitoring the situation along Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilsa route of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (through Nepal). It, however, maintains that the weather situation remains inclement and there is very little chance of operating evacuation flights.
The air service has been affected due to the heavy rainfall since Sunday evening.
All flights remained halted on Monday, informed Krishna Gautam, Onformation officer at the Nepalgunj Office of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
More than 500 Indian pilgrims visiting Humla have been stranded as the flights were cancelled. The pilgrims first fly to Humla to reach the holy Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet.
Various airlines operate daily flights to Jumla, Humla, Dolpa and Mugu from Nepalgunj. Flights between Kathmandu and Nepalgunj, however, are operating on a regular basis.
