Asia · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Avalanche Strikes Himlung Himal Base Camp In Nepal, At Least 10 Missing
Avalanche struck Himlung Himal base camp in Manang, western Nepal; at least 10 missing. Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa says two kitchen staff among missing.
Whether 10 or 12 people were missing.
9 of 10 outlets skipped it: two bodies recovered.
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BBC
“At least 10 Nepalese climbers who were preparing to lead an expedition in the Himalayas are missing”Read the original ↗
Rediff says twelve are missing, while the BBC reports at least 10.
Avalanche at Himlung Base Camp
An avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal, a 7,126-metre peak in Nepal’s Manang district near the Tibet border, and at least 10 people went missing on Sunday morning. Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa said, "The avalanche hit on Sunday morning," as expedition organisers reported that climbers and support staff were among those unaccounted for. Rishi Bhandari, general secretary of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal, confirmed the incident to The Kathmandu Post with "Yes, the incident is true," and he said two of those missing were associated with Imagine Nepal Pvt Ltd while eight were from Himalayan Holidays Nepal.
“‘Yes, the incident is true,’ Bhandari told The Kathmandu Post.”
Forecasts showed heavy snowfall around the 7,126m peak in recent days, and poor weather hampered rescue efforts as helicopters and rescue teams were unable to reach the site. The incident unfolded as Nepal was already dealing with severe weather, including heavy rainfall and snowfall that had forced climbers to retreat from autumn mountaineering expeditions.
Rescue Delays and Missing
Helicopters and rescue teams remained unable to reach the Himlung Himal site because of adverse weather, and Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking told AFP that "Eight members of our expedition team and two more from another company have been reported missing." Mingma Gyalje Sherpa said the avalanche hit on Sunday morning, and he confirmed that two of his kitchen staff were among those missing. Rishi Bhandari said the missing included people linked to Imagine Nepal Pvt Ltd and Himalayan Holidays Nepal, while Ram Krishna Lamichhane, director general of Nepal’s Department of Tourism, said the department was closely monitoring the situation.
The Department of Tourism urged trekkers and climbers to suspend activities as weather conditions deteriorated, and the Department of Tourism issued an alert advising that tourism activities be put on hold. The avalanche also came after Nepal’s adverse weather since Friday disrupted roads and prompted local authorities to close several sections to traffic.
Broader Weather Fallout
Nepal’s avalanche response unfolded against a backdrop of earlier disaster and ongoing missing people, with the BBC saying more than 6,000 people were still missing after a massive flood and landslide in August. The BBC also said more than 1,400 people were confirmed to have died after a glacial collapse sent water and debris down the Trishuli River valley, sweeping away settlements. BNDTV said the latest disruption followed last month’s devastating floods in Rasuwa, which killed more than 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing, and it said the disaster washed away settlements along the Trishuli River.
“More than 1,400 people were killed and over 5,000 were reported missing after floods washed away settlements along the Trishuli River.”
Tourism authorities urged trekkers and climbers to suspend outdoor activities as weather conditions deteriorated, and the Department of Tourism advised that tourism activities be put on hold. The avalanche incident threatened Nepal’s climbing tourism industry as heavy snowfall and persistent rainfall continued to create hazardous conditions across the country’s hills and plains.