Mount Everest: Climbers on the world’s highest mountain pleaded for help after a massive earthquake triggered an avalanche at Everest base camp.
Base camp was crowded with foreign mountaineers and their sherpa teams at the start at the climbing season when the avalanche hit, destroying camps and sending slabs of ice crashing in what was described as a “huge disaster”.
“Running for life from my tent. Unhurt. many people up the mountain,” tweeted Romanian climber Alex Gavan who had been preparing to ascend nearby Lhotse, the world's fourth highest peak. “Huge disaster. Helped searched and rescued victims through huge debris area. Many dead. Much more badly injured. More to die if not heli asap,” he tweeted.
“There might be over 1,000 people there right now, including foreign climbers and Nepalese supporting staffs. Rescue helicopters have not been able to fly because of the weather,” Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha, an official in Nepal’s tourism department, said.
Everest base camp huge earthquaqe then huge avalanche from pumori.Running for life from my tent. Unhurt. Many many people up the mountain.
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 25, 2015Huge disaster.Helped searched and rescued victims through huge debris area.Many dead.Much more badly injured.More to die if not heli asap.
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 25, 2015all badly injured heli evacuated. many people contributed. white night with meg and rachel in img camp, caring for those needing. want sleep
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 26, 2015
willie benegas helicoptered into westerm cwm/camp1 to bring ropes/ice screws /snow pickets to the many climbers trapped above khumbu icefall
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 26, 2015ongoing heli rescue in western cwm.few climbers, included david breashers, helicoptered down from camp1.more than 100 of them still up.
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 26, 2015Just another earthquaqe now. And another three small avalanches. All good. Pfiu!!!
— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 26, 2015
