In the Himalayan district Manang, glacial lakes along with tributaries have started freezing due to extreme cold. Sonam Gurung, Ward Chairman of Manang Ngisyang Village Municipality-6, said that half a dozen glacial lakes along the Gangapurna, including the Manang River, were frozen like rocks. According to him, Tilicho at 4,919 meters, Worm Lake (Ice Lake) at 4,600 meters in Vraka, Dona Lake at Dharapani and Pongkar at Thonche are also frozen at this time.
The sources of drinking water are frozen along with the cold. With the onset of winter, the
temperature in Manang reaches minus even in the afternoon and minus 6 to minus 10 degrees Celsius in the evening and morning, said DSP Subash Khadka. According to him, even the piped water from Timang to Thanchowk and Chame is frozen.
In Manang, ice lakes are mostly frozen from Mangsir-Paush to Falgun. Due to the extreme cold, the flowing rivers are freezing. According to DSP Arjun Poudel, chief of the Armed Police Force Nepal Manang, the frozen water flows only in the afternoon.
As the temperature rises, so does the water in the stream. The internal and external tourists who have reached Manang to some extent after the cold snap have been walking on the frozen lake to get a new experience. Tourists come to see Manang Lake.
Due to its snow lake, Manang has become a center of external and internal tourists. Tourists are attracted by the view of freezing cold, snow cover and melting in summer. According to Binod Gurung, chairman of Manang Tourism Entrepreneurs Committee, Manang lakes are characterized by clear blue when frozen, white in rainy season and freezing in winter.
By Muna Chand
