In Manang And Mustang, The Number Of Tourists Who Died Due To The Lake Increased by 21 tourists who went to Mustang and Manang last year for trekking and pilgrimage stayed there. 11 Indians, 2 Malaysians, 1 Ukrainian, and 1 British citizen, along with 6 Nepalis, died after falling into the lake during the journey. Most of the lake-related incidents took place in the Muktinath area of Mustang.
According to District Police Office Mustang, six people died due to a lake in the year 2078/79, while 12 people died due to a lake in the year 2079/80. According to Vishal Adhikari, police inspector of the office, 14 people lost their lives in the Mustang last year.
Most of the deaths due to the lake are Indian pilgrims who come to visit the famous religious site, Muktinath Darshan. Out of the fourteen, ten Indians, three Nepalese, and one Ukrainian national were said by the police inspector.
Tourist guide Divas Gurung said that when Indian tourists reach Muktinath at once by vehicle, there is a problem with lake formation.
When traveling to the Himalayas, you have to take a break; when you go from a low altitude to a high altitude, you will suddenly get to a lake.’, he said. ‘This problem is more common among tourists who go to Muktinath in Mustang and Tilicho Lake in Manang.’
Muktinath is 3,710 meters above sea level, and Tilicho Lake is 4,919 meters above sea level. According to Gurung, the guide, the best way to avoid the problem of the lake is to take a break and adapt to the local climate.
He advised the hiking tourists not to climb more than 500 feet in one day. Gurung, the guide, said that one should go on the trek with physical, human health, and fitness. He says that if you have a new and distant destination, you should not trek alone.
Gurung said that one should carry first aid medicines and supplies while going on a walk. He says that some people have the symptoms of ‘altitude sickness’ from 3000 meters, so they should take a break without walking too much in one day.
According to the Project Office, the highest number of 35,265 tourists visited the area last March, and the lowest number was 5,401 tourists in July. Dr. Kadaria, the head of the project, said that compared to the previous year (2079/80), about 50,000 more tourists entered the last year.
In that year, 89 thousand seven hundred and 77 tourists from South Asian countries and 82 thousand seven hundred and 33 tourists from other countries entered the Annapurna region.
