Dozens of Israeli travelers in Nepal were receiving assistance on Sunday after heavy rain, flooding concerns, and severe weather disrupted major trekking regions across the country.
Clal Insurance & Finance said its rescue teams, operating through its partner firm, "Magen Search and Rescue," are on the ground rescuing Israeli travelers insured by the company who were caught in extreme weather in Nepal and needed help.
"Clal Insurance & Finance is working alongside all its rescue teams in Nepal to assist every policyholder in need of rescue. We are in contact with all relevant parties to ensure a safe outcome and to guarantee that all our policyholders are rescued and brought to safety," said Dror Zessler, deputy CEO and head of the Claims Division at Clal.
PassportCard said it was assisting 40 insured travelers in areas affected by the weather, including 17 in the Annapurna region, 17 in the Manaslu region, including Samagaon, four in the Tsum Valley near Chumling, and two in the Everest region.
Four of the travelers require medical attention and are expected to be evacuated for treatment once weather conditions permit, the company said. None of the insured travelers is currently believed to be in life-threatening danger, and their families are in regular contact with the situation room.
Israelis trapped in Nepal say there is 'no way to go back'
Israelis talked to Israeli media about the situation on ground, with many trapped in certain areas that were closed down due to security risks. "There are landslides here every few hours on our heads. We don't have to wait for a disaster to happen," one Israeli woman told Ynet.
Yarin, an Israeli hiker who spoke with N12, said that there are "dozens of Israelis" trapped in the village of Samagaun, and there is no clear way to either go back or continue their trek due to the rains.
"Since last night, the weather conditions have been very difficult. There is no electricity, and there were rockfalls near us, and our lives were miraculously saved," Yarin added.
Local authorities issued warnings overnight due to the risk of flooding, and travelers staying at major tourist sites and along trekking routes were instructed to move to safer areas. Nepalese authorities had already warned trekkers to avoid high-altitude routes as heavy rain and snowfall threatened flooding, landslides, rockfalls, and damage to trails and bridges.
PassportCard teams were operating simultaneously in several locations and conducting ongoing assessments based on the weather and the ability to travel through affected areas. In the Annapurna region, insured travelers were staying in several villages while the situation room worked to help them continue their journeys when conditions allowed.
Nepal travel severely restricted as flood danger persists
Travel across large parts of Nepal remained severely restricted, with numerous roads blocked and trekking activities suspended in affected areas. Nepal's weather authorities had warned ahead of the storm that heavy rainfall could increase the danger of floods and landslides and urged travelers to suspend Himalayan treks.
According to PassportCard's current forecasts, the weather is expected to gradually weaken, although restoring normal travel in affected areas could take several days.
PassportCard said its situation room would remain available around the clock and continue assisting the travelers and their families until the emergency ends and normal travel can resume.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.