10 Missing After Avalanche Hits Himlung Himal Base Camp
Heavy Snowfall Forces Climbers To Retreat Amid Weather Warning In Nepal
At least 10 people, including climbers and support staff, are missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal, a 7,126-metre peak in Nepal’s Manang district near the Tibet border, expedition organisers said on Sunday.
Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa said the avalanche struck the base camp on Sunday morning. Rishi Bhandari, general secretary of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal, also confirmed the incident.
“Yes, the incident is true,” Bhandari told The Kathmandu Post.
According to Bhandari, two of those unaccounted for are associated with Imagine Nepal Pvt Ltd, while eight are from Himalayan Holidays Nepal. Details about the condition of those missing and the scale of rescue operations were not immediately available.
The evacuation came after authorities issued a weather warning last week, while heavy snowfall had already forced climbers to retreat from autumn mountaineering expeditions.
A weather system over the Bay of Bengal has brought heavy snowfall to Nepal’s mountainous regions and persistent rainfall to the country’s hills and plains. Tourism authorities have urged trekkers and climbers to suspend outdoor activities as weather conditions deteriorate.
Himlung Himal, located in the western part of Nepal’s Manang district near the Tibet border, is a popular destination for mountaineers seeking high-altitude climbing experience. The 7,126-metre peak is among the Himalayan mountains frequented by international expedition teams.