By Belina Thapa
Lamjung, Dec. 21: Cold spell has gripped the Manag district freezing several of its glacial lakes.
According to Chhiring Lopsang, owner of Hotel Tilicho at Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality-6, the Gangapurna Lake, located at an elevation of 3,540 metres has completely frozen.
Likewise, Tilicho, one of the highest altitude lakes perched up at 4,919 metres from sea level, and Ice Lake (4,600 metres) of Bhraka Village, have also been hardened by the cold. “Comparatively, the days are a little warmer compared to the mornings. But we have been witnessing excessive cold with temperatures consistently dipping to minus, which has impacted daily lives,” said hotelier Lopsang.
Over a dozen lakes situated in upper part of Manang have already been covered in thick sheets of ice, as per Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality Chairperson Kanchha Ghale. Moreover, locals report that cold has seeped into their drinking water supply pipes, jamming the water.
“During the Nepali month of Magh and Falgun, all the water sources will be frozen in Manang,” estimates Chairperson Ghale. Among the many lakes located in Manang, Gangapurna lies in the lowest altitude. Nonetheless, it too couldn’t weather the shivering cold. With lakes below 4,000 metres freezing, it goes without saying that Kijansara of Chame Rural Municipality, located above Tilicho at an elevation of 5,002 metres, is also frozen.
“Moreover, nearby water bodies like Mingre, Kalopokhari, Dhikupokhari, Kyambi, among others, are also on the verge of turning solid,” revealed Chhiring Gurung of Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality Ward No. 1.
As per Chief District Officer, Dhruva Giri, “In Manang the temperature has usually been minus seven to eight degrees Celsius during mornings and evenings.”
“While it gets slightly warmer in the afternoon at five degrees Celsius, some particularly colder nights witness as low as minus 12 degrees Celsius,” said Sharada Chalise, Assistant Chief District Officer.
Locals say that lakes usually remain frozen until the end of Nepali month Falgun before they start melting with the onset of spring in Chaitra and Baisakh.