Maoists have called for a bandh, a general strike, Sept. 16. Such strikes usually shut down all transportation, including taxis and private vehicles, and are often enforced violently. If the locals are observing the strike, it is wise to do so as well.
Nepal has been hit by an especially severe monsoon season, with some 500 deaths and many landslides. A plane carrying 15 tourists from Jomsom to Pokhara crashed in bad weather Aug. 22, but the cause of the crash has not yet been confirmed. The monsoon usually ends in September.