The Perfect Rise of Langtang Valley After Earthquake 2015

A distinct Himalaya landscape, tumbling water rivers, yak pastures, iconic monasteries, and stunning mountain views! These are glimpses of the Langtang Valley Trek route that make it one of the best economical treks of Nepal or the world. But the place has a very sad story and a very inspiring one too. Many regions of the Langtang Valley were adversely affected by the massive Earthquake in 2015.

A Glimpse into Langtang Village

This valley of North-central Nepal lies at an altitude of 1500m. The region lies within Langtang National Park and before the 2015 earthquake, the village harbored 668 individuals. A little more than 25% of the park is a forest area where trees like oak, maple, pine, and rhododendron are found.

The economy of the Langtang Village is supported by tourism, agropastoralism, and Swiss cheese making. The inhabitants of Langtang Village are referred to as Langtangpa and counted (censused) as Tamang has been actively involved in these professions.

The nearest motor road is at Syaprubesi and it takes 8 hours to reach Syaprubesi from Kathmandu. For foreigners, the permits required are TIMS and national park permit. The village hosts popular treks such as Langtang Valley Trek and Helambu Trek. The villages were full of teahouses where tourists would stay during the trek but one day everything changed.

What happened during Earthquake 2015?

On April 25, 2015, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck Nepal at 11:56 a.m. local time. The earthquake’s epicenter was near the Langtang Valley which caused destruction that was not even in the imagination of local dwellers.

A day before this, there was an important festival in the village. Ghawa, a Buddhist festival, was a day of fun and people sang, danced, and enjoyed till midnight without knowing the consequences of the next day. Like every year, Langtang Village, Kyanjin Gomba, Ghodatabela, and Bamboo Village were all bustling with tourists, trekkers, and locals on the day of the Earthquake.

As the earth began shaking, it was not just oscillation that was the threat. The hanging glaciers of Lirung and Langtang II were slowly losing grip on the mountain. The threshold broke and the huge avalanche began accumulating debris and snow of almost 40 million tons along its path. The pressure wave was more than 93 miles per hour so much so that it affected the forest opposite the valley too.

116 houses were buried instantly, taking the lives of 176 locals, 80 foreigners, and 10 soldiers, a total of 308 casualties. Hundreds were injured, 100s of bodies never recovered, and the whole village witnessed the biggest loss in their resident history. The series of aftershocks kept survivors in unmounted fear for many weeks.

The place was now under isolation as avalanches and landslides blocked the routes to the rescue. The survivors comprised of both locals and tourists had a conflict on whom to be rescued earlier from the helicopter. Some survivors lost their minds, some kept on crying over their loved one’s dead body, some thanked god for their protection and some were ready to endure what nature have to offer to them.

It looked like the valley will be remembered as the used to be a tourist destination and was never capable to rise. It was not just Langtang, the whole of Nepal lost 9000 people and almost $7 billion. The rise of Nepal itself was in question. And the isolated part like Langtang never was even considered to breathe again. After all, the whole village was just a heap of stone and soil.

The Perfect Rise of Langtang Village

No home, No livelihood, and No loved ones! The status of Langtang was miserable as a result of an Earthquake.

But the villagers did not give up. Sure they were afraid and feeble at the beginning but after a year they started rebuilding their village. In Mundu, the primary Langtang village, they started building a new village just 100 m above the previous location. They started converting the tragedy into the motivation of thriving and smiling.

Just after three years of reconstruction, the researcher gave a green signal for trekkers to roam around Langtang Valley. There is no shred of evidence of the previous village, but after 8 years, now in 2023, there are better accommodation teahouses in the region.

Some regions of the route are subjected to memories of lost lives, which has become a tourist attraction. Still, you can listen to terrifying stories of locals but it often ends up in the hopes of building the valley up. This enthusiasm of Langtang people and supporting local bodies has inspired many regions around the world ruined by calamities.

The routes are open without blockages. The high mountains Tserko Ri, Lirung, Langtang, and many others are smiling at visitors. The big grin of locals has resettled on their faces. Monastries have again started spreading symbols of peace and hope. Langtang has risen and all this credit goes to never giving up the attitude of local people.

A trek in Langtang is a certainly boost to their livelihood. Go to Langtang! Hear the story in the local’s voice! Appreciate their rise!