Unusually persistent cloud cover over central and eastern Nepal over the past week has stranded thousands of tourists and local passengers in airports across Nepal.
Lukla and Phaplu airports have been closed now for five days, while Jomsom has remained closed for four days. Even Pokhara airport was closed Friday and Saturday due to poor visibility.
More than 9,000 trekkers are in the Khumbu and many of them are now stranded at Lukla where all hotels are full and food is running out. On Friday, some trekking groups started walking to the nearest road-head at Jiri, about 4 days walk away. Private helicopter companies brought helicopters to Surke, a two hour walk below Lukla to ferry them out. About 200 trekkers have been lifted out in the past two days.
Flights to western Nepal and on trunk routes to Simara, Bhairawa, Bhadrapur, Biratnagar and Dhangadi operated as normal, although most flights were delayed because poor visibility in Kathmandu limited landing and take-off slots.
To make matters worse, meteorologists have forecast significant change in the weather pattern over the Himalaya over the weekend. Overcast skies over the mountains, and thick pollution haze blown in from the Indo-Gangetic plains have contributed to the unfavourable weather.
Landing at Lukla