No work for Nepalis as tourists stay away

Pokhara, Nepal

BOATMAN Hem Gurung waits listlessly on the deserted banks of Lake Phewa in the shadow of Nepal's spectacular Annapurna mountain range for tourists that do not come.

"Since the earthquake, Pokhara has been empty," he complained to AFP in the lakeside resort, which once thronged with tourists attracted by its Himalayan vistas and outdoor adventure activities.