6 Indians on trek to Nepal's deepest lake go missing amid heavy snowfall

Six Indian tourists have gone missing in Nepal's Dolpa district amid heavy snowfall while travelling towards Shey Phoksundo Lake. A search and rescue operation is being planned, with authorities seeking a helicopter to locate them and a team of the Nepalese Army deployed to assist in the search.The tourists, comprising four men and two women, were travelling from Dolpa towards Shey Phoksundo Lake when contact with them was lost in the Numa La and Baga La pass areas. The two mountain passes are located between wards 4 and 8 of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality.Local guides suspect that the tourists may have been stranded along the route due to heavy snowfall in the Himalayan region. The snowfall is believed to have been triggered by the impact of Cyclone Arnab, which developed over the Bay of Bengal.According to local residents, the tourists had been warned that snowfall would make it difficult to cross the mountain passes. Despite the warnings, they continued their journey and reportedly got trapped in the snow while returning. Dolpa Chief District Officer (CDO) Junu Hamal said the tourists were returning from Dho towards Phoksundo Lake when they got stranded in the snow. She confirmed that local residents had cautioned them about the difficulties of crossing the mountain terrain, but they proceeded with their journey. Contact with the group has since been lost.HELICOPTER SOUGHT FOR SEARCH AND RESCUEDolpa Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Anil Raj Giri said the six Indian tourists had not been traced so far. Authorities have requested the concerned agencies to arrange a helicopter to support the search and rescue operation. The operation is being hampered by heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions in the high-altitude Himalayan region. A thick layer of snow and the absence of mobile network connectivity in the area have made it difficult for authorities to establish contact with the tourists or determine their whereabouts.Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality chairman Dhawa Samduk Gurung said there was no mobile network coverage in the mountain passes between wards 4 and 8, making it difficult to gather information about the missing tourists.District Administration Office data indicates that a total of 244 tourists have reached Upper Dolpa, comprising 149 Nepali nationals, 44 individuals from SAARC countries, and 51 citizens from other foreign countries. In response to the adverse weather, the district administration has urged all tourists to avoid risky areas and remain in safe locations.NEPALESE ARMY TEAM DEPLOYEDDolpa Chief District Officer Junu Hamal said a team of the Nepalese Army had also been deployed to locate the missing tourists and help bring them to safety.With contact still unavailable and weather conditions posing challenges to the operation, authorities are seeking helicopter support to trace the group and carry out the rescue.- Ends(With ANI inputs)