Nepal: Hundreds of trekkers stranded on mountain trails after coronavirus lockdown

Hundreds of trekkers are stranded on high-altitude trekkingtrails acrossNepaldue to a nationwide lockdown designed to contain the coronavirus spread.

There are about 500 foreign trekkers on at least four trekking routes unable to return due to the lockdown, which started Tuesday and will last for a week.

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"We are working with multiple government agencies to rescue the trekkers and bring them to Kathmandu, so that we can coordinate with the embassies to fly them back home," said Shradha Shrestha, a spokeswoman for the Nepal Tourism Board.

"Several embassies such as the German and French are already planning to send chartered flights to some of these areas to rescue the trekkers. The tourism board has launched awebsiteto make it easier for the stranded trekkers to reach out to authorities," sheadded.

Nepal's government announced earlier this month the spring climbing season for all the Himalayan peaks in the country, including the world's highest Mount Everest, would be canceled due to coronavirus.