Floods and rain slow tourism business in Mustang-Myagdi

Continuous rain and the impact of the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa have left tourist areas in Mustang and Myagdi deserted during the peak season.

According to Inspector Santosh Basyal, information officer at the District Police Office, Mustang, about 4,000 tourists used to reach Mustang daily via the Beni-Jomsom road until a few days ago. He said that number has dropped to about 20 percent since Thursday.

Police data show tourist arrivals in Mustang fell by nearly 50 percent in Bhadra compared to Shrawan.

After the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology warned of heavy rain and snowfall from Asoj 8 to 11, the Myagdi and Mustang administrations have urged that vehicles not ply the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road at night.

According to Bishwaraj Sharma, chief of the Civil Aviation Office, Pokhara-Jomsom flights have dropped from about 10 a day to just two or three.

Dinesh Bhusal, manager of the Muktinath Area Development Committee, said the number of pilgrims visiting the Muktinath temple has also declined.

According to Dam Bahadur Pun, a hotel entrepreneur in Ghorepani, Myagdi, the roughly 500 tourists who used to reach Poon Hill daily in Asoj have been limited to about 100 this year.

Amrit Man Sherchan, a hotelier in Bhurung-Tatopani, said the road obstruction has also affected farmers and laborers, and that the number of devotees heading to Kagbeni for Sorha Shraddha will decline.