By Smita Adhikari

Pokhara Jan. 19: Over 100 stranded trekkers were rescued from Annapurna Circuit Saturday whereas 10 trekkers, including four Koreans, four Chinese and two Nepali nationals, who went missing on Friday, were yet to be traced.
The people who were rescued from the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) were sent to Chomrong and others were sent to Pokhara, said Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police Binod Sharma Ghimire.
Two groups of Chinese have already arrived in Pokhara, he added.
According to those Chinese who were rescued, following an avalanche, the whole area of ABC was covered with snow and more than 100 people have been stranded in ABC.
Four Koreans and two Nepali nationals had gone missing since Friday after the avalanche hit the famous trekking trail of Annapurna region.
The incident occurred at an altitude of around 3,230 metres close to the base camp of Annapurna, following heavy snowfall on Friday.
Likewise, four Chinese nationals, who were in Thorang La Pass Trekking of Manang also went missing since January 14, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) informed. The missing Chinese nationals identified as Huang Yiwin, Siau Ting, Ma Qianli and Zhaui.
Similarly, those Koreans who went missing are (names withdrawn for privacy as sought by their family members through a request by the South Korean Embassy). And Nepali guides Saroj Nepali and Tshiring Wangdong Lama were also missing. They were on their way to Annapurna Base Camp since January 15.
The Koreans had arrived in Nepal through Travel Mate International Agency and reached the Annapurna area from the Trip Nepal Mountain Guide Company.
Following the information of the avalanche, the concerned authorities had tried to contact the missing trekkers. However, as of Saturday evening, they were unable to establish any contact with them.
Chair of Annapurna Rural Municipality Yuva Raj Kunwar said, “We are continuously searching for the missing tourists but all our effort went in vain".
Efforts were being made to rescue them since Friday, however the falling temperature has made the operation more difficult, said authorities.
The security personnel, including Gaunpalika, ward committee, Annapurna Conservation Area Programme Office, regional office of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal and other stakeholders have been trying to reach the missing persons.
Climate change blamed
Unpredictable fluctuations in the weather have made the world famous trekking trail of Nepal unsafe.
An avalanche occurred in Chhomrung of Annapurna Rural Municipality- 11 of Kaski of Annapurna region on Friday is a testimony to this.
Annapurna is an avalanche-prone and technically difficult mountain. This trekking trail has a higher death rate than Everest, the world’s highest mountain.

Friday’s avalanche reminded the similar past accidents in the region. The unpredictable weather has been blamed for all calamities in the mountainous region.
In October 2014, altogether 41 trekkers, mostly foreign nationals, died due to snow storm at Thorangla Pass located in between Mustang and Manag districts.
They were in their route to Annapurna Circuit. The Hud Hud Strom originated from Bay of Bengal had caused the deadly storm
Likewise, a few months ago, a similar incident took place in the region causing death of one teenager.
These were only examples how the world famous trekking routes are hit hard by the unpredictable weather, caused by climate change.
According to Annapurna Conservation Area, total six trekkers died due to snow disaster in 2018/ 19.
The Annapurna Area Conservation Project (ACAP) has established all total 17 check posts and four information centers in the trekking route to give trekkers adequate information and precautions about weather calamity.
Chief of ACAP Ghandruk Office Bidur Kuikel said that the ACAP hosts almost 30,000 trekkers every year, but half of them want to pass the check posts on their own risks objecting to the weather information provided by the officials.
According to the stakeholders, foreign nationals should take trekking guide to utilise and understand the information.