Govt prepares to send helicopter to rescue 55 snow-trapped people in Gagra

KARNALI: The Karnali Province government is preparing to send a helicopter to rescue those people trapped by snowfall at different parts of Gagra alpine in Jumla.

Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi has taken initiations to rescue 55 people left stranded at Gagra.

“We are reported that snow up to five feet has piled up at Gagra and the situations provided no ground for the helicopter to land in. We are going to drop foodstuffs at the site immediately to save them from hunger,” he said.

According to one Surat Bahadur Shahi of Tatopani Rural Municipality-8 of Jumla, 55 people were left stranded at Gagra, Adiodar, Khotisalla and Dhwani Patan. They had been there to collect Setak Chini (Moringa Oleifera), locally known as Khiraula.

As Shahi reported, his family member Jaikuwanra and Mun Bahadur Rawat of Barhagaun, Tatopani-6 have already frozen to death in the snow.

Jumla’s Chief District Officer Bijaya Prasai said the efforts were on to rescue them in the coordination of the Tatopani Rural Municipality and the Province government.

According to Rural Municipality chief administrative officer Milan Poudyal, they tried to reach the people trapped in snow with food and other materials to save them from cold, but in vain. RSS