10 Humla Herb Collectors Found Safe After Week Without Contact
Ten residents of Simkot in Humla who were feared missing after spending a week out of contact while harvesting medicinal herbs are safe and sound, police confirmed on Monday.
All ten residents of Simkot Rural Municipality in Humla who were feared missing during an expedition to gather alpine medicinal herbs have been reached and confirmed safe, district authorities said on Monday.
The foragers, all from Thehe village in Simkot Rural Municipality-2, departed their homes on September 13 (Bhadra 28) to harvest katuko, a valuable medicinal root found in high-altitude pastures. Relatives lost communication with the group on September 24 (Asoj 8), triggering growing alarm in their home village when the collectors failed to check in or return as scheduled.
Fearing an accident in the wilderness, family members sought help from local authorities on Monday morning. Local resident Gwam Singh Bhandari travelled to district headquarters in Simkot to report the disappearance to the District Administration Office. In response, Chief District Officer Bholanath Guragain convened the District Security Committee to assess response options and briefed both the Karnali provincial government and the federal Ministry of Home Affairs, Onlinekhabar English and Kalakarmi reported.
Later on Monday, the Humla District Police Office confirmed that the ten foragers were accounted for and in good health. Deputy Superintendent of Police Shankar Khadka stated that the group had not suffered any mishap, explaining that the extreme isolation of the rugged terrain and a lack of mobile coverage had kept them from communicating with their families, according to reports by Onlinekhabar's Nepali edition and Nagarik News.
The foraging party had set up camp in the Lurpe Khola forest along the boundary between Kharpunath and Chankheli rural municipalities. Reaching the remote wilderness area, situated roughly 65 kilometres southeast of Simkot, requires an arduous foot journey of up to nine days from the district centre, Kalakarmi noted, highlighting the severe logistical challenges any deployed rescue team would have confronted.
Police identified the foragers as Dhanman Singh Bohara, Pijali Bohara, Pun Bohara, Gor Singh Bhandari, Dhanpuri Bohara, Paliban Bohara, Jun Bohara, Nar Bhandari, Khim Bhandari, and Laxmi Bohara.
Seasonal harvesting of wild medicinal roots and herbs serves as an indispensable source of income for mountain communities across Karnali. Every autumn, villagers venture into high-altitude forests and meadows, often operating in harsh weather and cut off from telecommunications networks for weeks at a time.