Himalayan avalanche hits Himlung Himal: Two bodies recovered
Rescuers recover two bodies after an avalanche strikes a climbing group in Nepal's Himalayas, leaving around a dozen people missing amid severe weather.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- An avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in Nepal on Sunday morning
- Two bodies have been recovered with approximately 12 people still missing
- Nepalese support staff had headed up early to fix ropes and prepare the camp
- Heavy snowfall and poor weather conditions have severely hampered rescue operations
Tragedy has struck the Himalayas after a massive sheet of snow swept through the base camp of a climbing expedition in Nepal. The avalanche hit the slopes of Himlung Himal peak located in the Manang district on Sunday morning, leaving at least two people dead and approximately a dozen others unaccounted for.
According to reports, the affected group consisted entirely of Nepalese nationals, including climbers and support personnel. They had travelled ahead of foreign mountaineers to set up the base camp, map out routes, and secure ropes along the 7,126-meter (23,380-foot) peak situated near Nepal's border with Tibet, which had experienced heavy snowfall in the preceding days.
Operating at altitudes exceeding 7,000 meters requires extensive preparation, which is why local support teams routinely ascend mountains ahead of commercial clients to establish routes and secure safety lines. However, this critical preliminary work often places local guides and staff on the front lines of unpredictable mountain weather and high-altitude hazards.
Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking stated to AFP that at least eight members linked to his expedition team were reported missing following the disaster, though the exact total of unaccounted climbers remains difficult to verify precisely due to communication and access challenges.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Rescue operations faced immediate setbacks as persistent severe weather and thick snow prevented helicopters and ground teams from reaching the isolated site on Sunday. Authorities subsequently dispatched a specialized team of veteran mountaineers via helicopter from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, with efforts expected to press forward into Monday.
This incident compounds a challenging season for Nepal's mountaineering sector, which has battled persistent rain and snow, creating treacherous conditions. Earlier in the week, climbers on Mount Manaslu—the world's eighth-highest peak—were forced to abandon their expeditions due to escalating avalanche threats.
Source: BBC World
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