A recent windstorm has damaged the power lines of the Khumbu Electricity Company in Namche and Khumjung regions, resulting in a disruption of electricity services since Magh 22. This outage has significantly impacted both domestic and international tourists visiting the Sagarmatha region.
According to Inspector Kabin Rai of the local police office, the absence of communication services due to the power outage has further compounded the issues, affecting even ATM services, which heavily rely on electricity. He mentioned that foreign tourists visiting the region are facing difficulties, with nearly a hundred tourists stranded in Namche, according to the records of the local police office.
Saroj Aryal, the Deputy Chief District Officer, highlighted the severity of the situation, emphasizing that despite efforts to monitor the area, the absence of electricity in Namche has posed serious challenges. He expressed concerns about the condition of tourists in Namche due to the lack of electricity.
While there haven't been issues with the maintenance of the electricity infrastructure itself, Sonam Dorji Sherpa, an employee of the Khumbu Electricity Company, mentioned challenges in repairing the damaged power lines. He explained that although efforts are underway to address the issues, repairing the damaged lines, especially those running over rugged terrain, requires time and resources. Additionally, coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal for helicopter assistance to transport equipment and personnel to remote areas like Khumjung has also been hindered by the lack of electricity.
The Khumbu Electricity Company, established in 1993 with a capacity of 930 kW, serves around 940 households in the region. Despite the challenges, the company is actively working to restore electricity services and has informed that the repair work for the damaged power lines is underway. However, due to the complex terrain and logistical constraints, it may take around eight to ten days for the issues to be fully resolved.
The disruption of electricity services not only affects the daily lives of the residents but also poses significant challenges for tourism, a vital source of income for the region. The local authorities are urging for prompt resolution of the issues to minimize the impact on both residents and tourists in the Namche and Khumjung areas.
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