On the evening of Tuesday, a snow avalanche from the Dhaulagiri mountain range completely blocked the Boksi Khola stream in Thasang Rural Municipality, Mustang. The stream began flowing again early this morning after being blocked for approximately 13 hours.
Gautam Sherchan, the spokesperson for the Thasang Rural Municipality and ward chairperson of Ward 2, confirmed that the stream started flowing again from the blocked area early this morning. “The snow avalanche that occurred at around 5:45 PM on Tuesday had completely obstructed the Boksi Khola. The stream, which had dried up, is now gradually increasing in water volume compared to its normal state,” he stated. “We have issued a warning to the coastal areas as the water levels are rising.”
Sherchan added that the snow, which had accumulated in the streambed, began melting and flowing with the stream. Nine households in the coastal area were evacuated to safety last night. Bhimprasad Thakali, a ward member of Thasang Rural Municipality-2, noted that the avalanche had not caused any human or physical damage.
The avalanche deposited snow approximately one kilometer below the main stream of Boksi Khola. A similar avalanche had occurred on August 7, resulting in the stream starting to flow again after three hours of being blocked. The recent snow had accumulated on top of the previous snow that had not yet melted.
Boksi Khola is a tributary of the Kali Gandaki River, merging with three steep streams. Although there are no settlements nearby, the Beni-Jomsom road runs through the Boksi Khola area. Thasang Rural Municipality Chairman Pradeep Gauchan, Ward Chairman Sherchan, and a team of security personnel inspected the area where the snow had accumulated. Despite the lack of a reservoir at the site, the risk is considered low due to the gradual melting of the snow. However, Chief District Officer Janak Raj Pant advised maintaining vigilance in the coastal areas until the snow has completely melted.
In previous years, on November 15 and March 4 of the year 2078 BS, snow avalanches from the Tukuche Himal in Thasang Rural Municipality-2 resulted in the deaths of over 150 sheep. Fortunately, the recent avalanche did not cause any damage to human life or livestock, as reported by the district administration.
