Around 600 European tourists stranded in Nepal evacuated

Around 600 European nationals, stranded at various trekking routes and tourist spots in Nepal after the government imposed a week-long nationwide lockdown to control the spread of the novel coronavirus have been evacuated and flown back to their respective countries, according to the German embassy here.

In view of the emergency situation caused by COVID-19, the embassy in coordination with Nepal's Ministry of Tourism arranged two chartered flights for repatriation of tourists from Nepal on March 27 and 28, it said in a press release.

The tourists included 400 German nationals, while the others were from Finland, Austria, Poland, Norway, Switzerland and UK.

They were flown back to their respective countries by the chartered flights of Qatar Airways, it said.

The aircrafts flew to Nepal with only crew members and left with the stranded tourists.

According to the embassy, 200 German tourists are still in different regions of Nepal, mostly in the Himalayas.

"The embassy is currently looking for ways of ensuring their safe movement in close coordination with Nepalese authorities," it said.

Nepal on Tuesday announced a week-long nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic.

The number of people infected by the deadly virus in the country climbed to five on Saturday after a 19-year-old female who returned to the country from Belgium via Qatar tested positive for the disease.