Four bodies have been recovered and identified after an avalanche struck the Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal’s Manang district, according to NNMGA President Tul Singh Gurung.
Twelve people remain missing, with rescue teams continuing search operations at the 7,126-metre peak as weather and mountain conditions permit.
The avalanche comes amid continued extreme weather in Nepal, with the country also dealing with the aftermath of recent floods and landslides.
The death toll from an avalanche that struck a climbing group's base camp at Himlung Himal in Nepal's Manang district has risen to four, after rescue teams recovered two more bodies from the site. Around a dozen people are still feared missing, according to local officials and rescue teams, who are continuing search operations.
The avalanche hit the base camp on Sunday morning as Nepalese climbers and support staff were preparing the route for an upcoming expedition, The Kathmandu Post reported.
What Happened At Himlung Himal?
The avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal, a 7,126-metre peak in the Nar Phu region of Manang, burying tents and people at the site. The group consisted of Nepalese climbers and support workers who had travelled ahead of foreign climbers to prepare the camp and fix ropes for the climbing season.
The exact number of people missing has varied in initial reports. The Kathmandu Post reported that 14 people were unaccounted for, while other reports put the number at around 10 to 12. The Nepal National Mountain Guides Association said 14 kitchen and base-camp staff and two climbing guides had been missing following the avalanche.
Two bodies were recovered by a search-and-rescue team on Sunday. The victims had not initially been identified, according to the Kathmandu Post. Other Nepalese reports later said the two recovered bodies were those of climbing guides Pasang Bhote and Chhebi Bhote, both from Sankhuwasabha.
Rescue Operations Underway
A rescue team was flown from Kathmandu towards the Himlung base camp by helicopter after the avalanche. The Nepal National Mountain Guides Association deployed an eight-member search team, while a larger 14-member rescue team was subsequently mobilised to search for those still missing.
Rescue efforts have been complicated by difficult weather and mountain conditions. The area has also experienced other hazards, including flooding, while disruptions to electricity and communications have affected parts of Manang. The rescue team that reached the area began searching the base camp for the missing workers and guides.
The bodies recovered from the avalanche site were taken by helicopter to Chame, with plans to transport them to Kathmandu for further procedures. Search operations for the remaining missing people are continuing.
NNMGA President Tul Singh Gurung said the team planned to continue the search on Monday if weather and mountain conditions remained favourable, The Kathmandu Post reported.
"Four bodies have been recovered and identified. Twelve people are still missing, and the search for them is continuing," Gurung was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The latest death of Nepalese climbers comes as Nepal is still recovering from devastating flash floods in August that swept several villages, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and nearly 6,000 others missing.
