An avalanche struck on Sunday near the base camp of 7,126-metre Himlung Himal in Manang district, close to the Nepal-Tibet border. Two bodies have been found, while more than 10 people remain missing. Rescuers have not yet confirmed the final number of people unaccounted for.
The group included Nepali climbers and support workers who had arrived ahead of foreign climbers to prepare the camp, organise the route and install safety ropes. Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking said at least eight members of his expedition were missing.
Heavy snow and poor weather prevented helicopters and rescue teams from reaching the site immediately after the avalanche. Experienced mountaineering rescuers were later flown from Kathmandu, and the search was expected to continue on Monday.
Mountain districts in Nepal have experienced several days of rain and snowfall, increasing avalanche risks and making climbing conditions more dangerous. Earlier in the week, climbers left the Manaslu area, home to the world’s eighth-highest peak, as the avalanche threat grew.
The incident came less than two months after six Nepali climbers died on Pakistan’s Broad Peak. Among them was prominent British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.
Nepal is also dealing with the aftermath of major floods and landslides near the Tibet border in August. The disaster killed more than 1,400 people, while over 6,000 were reported missing.