Kathmandu, Sep 29 (V7N)- Four bodies have been recovered and 12 people remain missing after an avalanche struck a mountaineering base camp near Himlung Himal in Nepal’s Manang district.
The avalanche hit the camp on Sunday morning, September 27, as a team of Nepali climbers and support workers prepared the site for foreign mountaineers expected to arrive later.
Himlung Himal stands at 7,126 meters (23,380 feet) near Nepal’s border with Tibet. Weather forecasts had warned of heavy snowfall in the area around the mountain.
The Nepali team had been deployed ahead of the foreign climbers to prepare the base camp and fix ropes on the mountain. Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking said at least eight members of his expedition team were among those missing.
Two bodies were recovered on Sunday, while two more were found on Monday, according to the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA). The victims were subsequently identified.
Rescue teams were sent from Kathmandu by helicopter to search for those trapped or missing after the avalanche. However, adverse weather initially prevented the helicopter and rescuers from reaching the affected area.
The NNMGA said its experienced mountain rescue team continued searching the avalanche-hit area for survivors and missing climbers. Ten people were also rescued and brought down from the mountain by helicopter, according to reports.
The search operation has faced difficult weather and mountain conditions. Authorities and rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate the 12 people still missing.
The avalanche comes as Nepal is also dealing with heavy rain, landslides and flooding in several parts of the country, adding to the challenges faced by emergency responders.
END/SMA/AJ
