Snow and landslides block Korala road, containers stranded at customs yard

The Jomsom-Korala road section has been completely blocked following continuous rain and snowfall since Saturday night in Mustang, halting operations at the Korala border point.

According to Police Inspector Santosh Basyal of the Mustang District Police Office, a landslide along with large boulders blocked the road at Kabhrebhir on the Myagdi-Mustang border. The road is also blocked at several points due to landslides in the Ghasa area of Thasang Rural Municipality-4.

Heavy snowfall has occurred in the Korala Pass area of upper Mustang. With the road closed, hundreds of containers remain stuck at the customs yard.

According to Bidur Chudal, chief customs officer at Mustang Customs Office, more than 50 containers that have already cleared customs have also been unable to move toward the market. The stranded goods include festive and winter-season items as well as a large number of electric vehicles.

With the two other northern border points closed for a long time, large volumes of imports had been coming through Korala. With Dashain approaching, more than 50 containers used to clear customs daily from this point.