SOLUKHUMBU: Hundreds of foreign tourists have been stranded at Lukla in Solukhumbu district owing to unfavorable weather condition for the past four days.
Tourists have been hit due to unfavorable weather in Lukla where over two dozens flights take place during this peak season.
Only five flights among 25 scheduled flights took off on Saturday while not a single flight took place on Monday and Tuesday, said Arun Karna, information officer at Nepal Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Lukla. There were 30 flight schedules, including 15 of Tara Air, 10 of Sita Air and five of Summit Air on Sunday.
Lukla has been covered in thick fog with low visibility that has grounded Sita, Summit and Tara Airlines. The visibility around the airport is below 50 meters which is considered ‘zero visibility.’
Lukla has witnessed worsening weather condition since last Friday. Though there were 20 scheduled flights on Friday not a single flight could take off, according to the Airport Office.
The problem became more intense when helicopters could not even take off due to heavy fog. With this, the tourists having a fixed schedule are facing a tough time.
Tourists coming to the Sagarmatha Zone mostly use air services. In lack of access to the road to the Khumbu region, the tourists do not have any alternative to air service.
Sagarmatha is one of the prime destinations of tourists coming to Nepal. Thousands of
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