APF rescues 162 tourists from ABC

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Oct. 31: The Armed Police have rescued a total of 162 tourists from Annapurna Base Camp in Myagdi. After the rescue, no domestic or foreign tourists are stranded at Annapurna Base Camp, said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shailendra Thapa, Joint Spokesperson of the Armed Police.

As of Thursday morning, everyone has been brought to a safe place from the base camp. The region is experiencing heavy snowfall at the moment. 

The Armed Police Disaster Management Unit of the Armed Police Force departed from Myagdi for the base camp on October 28. The force, which went under the command of Armed Police Inspector Binod Paudel, has rescued 162 people, including 17 foreign tourists, as of this morning.

The tourists who were at risk due to heavy snowfall and were stranded due to not being able to find the way were rescued by finding a route with the help of ropes, Thapa said. After all the tourists were rescued, the base camp is now empty.

Some tourists who were walking towards the base camp despite the snowfall were turned back halfway. Yesterday, alone, 52 tourists from the base camp and 20 people who were stranded after losing the path were brought to a safe place.

A total of 162 people have been rescued, including those who were turned back from the road on Tuesday and those who were brought down from the base camp this morning. The rescued tourists have been safely brought to places without snowfall, including Guphaphant and Sadikharka.

All of them are currently staying in safe places. DSP Thapa informed that although some of the rescued tourists have health problems, including respiratory ailments, there are no major problems.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Nepali Army, in coordination with two other security bodies, rescued 1,500 people trapped in heavy snowfall in Upper Manang.

The army has rescued civilians trapped in Tilicho, Khangsar, Pisang, Upper Manang and Humde areas of Manang district. 

According to the Directorate of Public Relations and Information (DPR&I) of the Nepali Army Headquarters on Wednesday morning, the security forces have rescued 1,500 people, including 200 foreign tourists, who were stranded after heavy snowfall in the regions. 

According to Brigadier General and Nepali Army Spokesperson Rajaram Basnet of the Army Headquarters, a team deployed from the Nepal Army's New Bhairavi Dal Regiment in Manang, along with the police and Armed Police Force, with the help of locals, rescued and took them to a safe place.