Produce prices soar as rebel blockade bites

Officials at Nagdhunga checkpost four km south of the capital, the main entry and exit point into the Kathmandu valley, said that while some vehicles were leaving under security escort, far fewer were arriving.

They said 10 buses, four fuel tankers, four trucks and 20 light vehicles had arrived in an eight-hour period in the valley Tuesday.

In the same period, 49 buses, 24 petrol tankers, 23 trucks and 65 light vehicles had left the capital.

On a normal day, 500 buses, 500 to 600 trucks and around 170 other vehicles enter Kathmandu, with similar numbers leaving, officials said.

The Maoists declared the blockade at the weekend in protest at the king's power grab on February 1 when he sacked the government, appointed a pro-royalist cabinet headed by himself, declared a state of emergency and arrested activists.