KHALANGA, MAY 2

An avalanche at Boling, Ward No 1 of Byas Rural Municipality in Darchula this afternoon buried tents where yarsa pickers were sheltering.

Some people are said to have disappeared after the avalanche buried the tent where they had been temporarily residing, informed Deputy Superintendent of Armed Police Force, Number 50 Company, Chhangaru, Iswori Dutta Bhatta.

A team of 25 APF personnel headed to the incident site. "It will takes an hour to reach there. Then only will we know the ground reality," informed DSP Bhatta who was on the way to the avalanche site. He further said it would take longer time to reach the site due to plummeting oxygen level at the high altitude.

Yarsa pickers had been sheltering in the avalanche area under a tent after snowfall a few days back. "As informed, some pickers were outside the tent in search of firewood when the event took place. We knew about the incident when they informed us," DSP Bhatta said.

According to information received, the yarsa collectors were not only from the local area but also from other districts, he added. DSP Bhatta further said bad weather had hindered rescue operation.

Ward No 1 Chairperson Ashok Bohora said the yarsa pickers had ascended to the high altitude area to collect the precious herb some days ago.

"There was continuous snowfall. The yarsa pickers had been living under the tent and were not able to go outside to collect yarsa," he added.

Information Officer at District Police Office, Darchula, Inspector Gyanendra Bahadur Singh informed that a police team from the Byas-based Sita Bridge was also heading to the incident site.