Six Indian Tourists Missing Amid Heavy Snowfall in Nepal’s Dolpa
Six Indian tourists heading toward Shey-Phoksundo Lake in Nepal’s Dolpa district have gone missing amidst heavy snowfall. The group consists of two women and four men. Contact with them was lost in the vicinity of the Numla Pass and Bagla Pass—mountain passes located between Ward No. 4 and Ward No. 8 of the Shey-Phoksundo rural municipality.
Junu Hamal, the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Dolpa, stated that the tourists were traveling from Dho toward Shey-Phoksundo Lake when they became trapped in the snow. She noted that although local residents had warned them about the difficulties of crossing the mountains, the group proceeded anyway; they are now unreachable. According to Dhawa Samduk Gurung, the chairperson of the Shey-Phoksundo rural municipality, there is no mobile network coverage in the area of the passes between Ward No. 4 and Ward No. 8. The lack of communication facilities has made it difficult to gather information regarding the condition of the tourists.
Anil Raj Giri, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for Dolpa, confirmed that the tourists have not yet been located. He added that a request has been made to the relevant authorities to arrange a helicopter for search and rescue operations. Chief District Officer Hamal further stated that a team from the Nepali Army has also been deployed to locate the missing tourists and ensure their safe rescue.
