Dozens of Israelis stranded in Himalayan village after landslides: 'Afraid to stay another night'

Dozens of Israeli trekkers are stranded in the village of Samagaon in the Nepalese Himalayas due to rockfalls and extreme weather. The village has no electricity, and the trekkers fear staying another night. Insurance companies and travel agencies have been activated to arrange a rescue, but at this stage it is not possible to evacuate everyone. No casualties have been reported.

Dozens of Israeli trekkers have been stranded since last night (Saturday to Sunday) in the village of Samagaon, at an altitude of about 3,500 meters in the Manaslu region of the Nepalese Himalayas. The cause: extreme weather and rockfalls that have blocked access routes to the area. The village has no electricity, and during the night several landslides occurred near the houses where the trekkers are staying. One of the trekkers told Kan News that every few hours a huge boom is heard, "as if the whole earth is collapsing." According to him, the group includes dozens of Israelis along with foreign trekkers and local residents. Some of the roads and bridges in the area are impassable, and the possibility of leaving the village by land is very limited. Insurance companies and local travel agencies have been activated in an attempt to arrange a rescue, but at this stage it is not possible to evacuate everyone. Reports from the field have been confirmed by media outlets in Nepal. Early in the morning, a landslide occurred above Samagaon following days of heavy rain, and the noise woke hundreds of trekkers and staff. No casualties have been reported in the village. The event is part of a severe weather system affecting Nepal: heavy rains have caused landslides and floods, blocked roads, and washed away bridges. At least six people have been killed and five are missing in various incidents across Nepal. In the Uttar Pradesh region of India, at least 15 deaths and five injuries have been reported in the last two days, along with extensive property damage.