LUKLA: Flights to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest, have been suspended for the past three days due to continuous rainfall and fog covering the sky.
With flights halted, hotels from Lukla to Namche Bazaar are now fully occupied by tourists. According to Nawaraj Katwal, Air Traffic Controller at Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, no flights have been able to operate since Thursday due to poor visibility. Normally, the airport sees over 60 flights daily during this season, but all have been suspended.
Katwal said, “The visibility is so low that neither airplanes nor helicopters can operate. A few helicopter flights occurred last Thursday, but none have flown since then.”
Tourists who had trekked through the Khumbu region and were returning are now stuck in Lukla. Hotels and guesthouses in the area are full. Amrit Magar, in charge at Tara Airlines in Lukla, said around 1,500 passengers with airline tickets are stranded. “All hotels in Lukla are full; it is difficult to find rooms for new arrivals,” he added.
Local hotelier Toya Kumar Shrestha said visitors are having to wait in lobbies. French tourist Julie Marie said, “We returned to Lukla from Everest Base Camp three days ago. With no flights operating, we are stuck here.”
Crowds in Namche Bazaar too
Hotels in Namche Bazaar are also overcrowded. Lama Kaji Sherpa, Chairperson of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, said around 1,200 tourists are stranded in Namche.
“Continuous rainfall and snowfall in higher altitudes have stranded tourists in Namche. Those who trekked up from Lukla are also stuck here. Hotel occupancy is currently at 100 percent,” he added.
Tourist Tek Rai, stranded in Namche, said there has been no sunlight for the past four days. Visitors are spending their time reading books and listening to music.
Road travel also difficult
Some tourists are attempting to return to Kathmandu via the trail from Salleri due to the flight suspension, but road conditions remain challenging. Tourism entrepreneur Bal Darnal said landslides and mudslides caused by monsoon rains are blocking the Solukhumbu-Kathmandu highway at various points. In particular, areas around Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli on the BP Highway are heavily affected, causing hours-long traffic jams.
Weather forecast remains uncertain
According to Saroj Pudasaini, meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in Kathmandu, the monsoon is still active, and heavy rainfall and snowfall are expected in the coming days.
He said, “Rain is likely in the hilly and Himalayan regions, including Koshi Province, for the next two to three days. Only after that can we expect gradual improvement in the weather.”
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