Nepal Warns Travelers to Avoid Rivers and High-Risk Zones Oct 29-31

Kathmandu, October 27: Nepal's immigration authorities have temporarily stopped granting trekking permits for restricted high-altitude and Himalayan regions for October 29 to 31, citing the risk of heavy snow, blizzards and avalanches.

The Department of Immigration took the step after the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority advised tourists to steer clear of these areas during the window. Foreign nationals planning to trek in restricted zones are now unable to obtain permits for those dates.

Earlier, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issued a special bulletin on Cyclone Arnab, which is intensifying over the Bay of Bengal. Forecasters said the storm could bring heavy rain, strong winds, snowfall and avalanche conditions to multiple regions of Nepal.

Trekkers who already hold permits have been asked to reschedule their journeys to reduce danger. Those already on the trail should remain in safe shelters. Trekking agencies, guides and other stakeholders have also been asked to follow these instructions.

The disaster management authority has separately warned that the weather could disrupt roads, flights and everyday life. It has advised people to limit unnecessary travel, avoid riverbanks and other flood-prone high-risk areas, and monitor forecasts from official sources.

Such alerts have become frequent in recent weeks. The most severe recent event occurred on August 26, when an avalanche near the Nepal-China border blocked a river. The eventual collapse of the natural dam unleashed a catastrophic flood that killed roughly 1,500 people, with more than 5,000 still listed as missing.

The flood destroyed many settlements, roads, bridges and electrical infrastructure. The World Bank has put the physical damage from the disaster at around 1.66 billion US dollars.