An active rescue is underway to locate five missing climbers after an avalanche struck a Himalayan base camp in northeastern Nepal on November 3. The slide is thought to have killed at least seven people in the 15-person expedition.
The Kathmandu Post was the first to report this story.
Unstable snow and fluctuating weather conditions brought on by Cyclone Monica are believed to have caused the avalanche. Five visitors and ten Nepali high-altitude guides set out roughly an hour before the slide occurred at 8:30 A.M. near the base camp of Yalung Ri Peak.
The group had reached the base camp at an elevation of 16,000 feet and was adjusting to the altitude before attempting to summit Dolma Khang peak, which stands at nearly 21,000 feet. Yalung Peak is considered a non-technical beginner mountain, great for those with no previous experience in climbing high elevations.
Officials said that rescuers initially delayed rescue services due to weather conditions.
“The avalanche buried everyone on the slope. We got the information late, and the difficult weather delayed immediate response,” Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gyan Kumar Mahato, told The Kathmandu Post. “As soon as we were informed, we coordinated with the Home Ministry and deployed the Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police from Lamabagar. But due to heavy snowfall and clouds, helicopters couldn’t be flown, and reaching the site on foot was extremely difficult.”
Rescuers have since recovered two bodies and are searching for the remaining five, which are believed to be covered by snow. Eight others were saved and are receiving treatment in Kathmandu. The bodies of the other five deceased climbers “may be 10 to 15 feet below the snow,” Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks, told the BBC. Outside contacted the summit company for an update, but has not heard back at the time of publishing.
Reports vary regarding the nationality of the climbers, who are said to include two or three Italians, two Nepalis, a German, a French person, and potentially a Canadian. NBC News reports that in an interview on November 3, Mahato had initially stated that three Americans had been killed, but the reason for the discrepancy is not apparent.
Outside also contacted the U.S. State Department for further information on whether any Americans were in the group, as well as the Nepal Government for an official count of victims. We will update this article if and when we receive a response.
In late October, heavy snowfall and rain from Cyclone Montha tore through the region, followed by sunnier weather on November 2. Officials speculate that this fluctuation in temperature, paired with heavy rainfall, steep slopes, and unstable snowpack, created prime conditions for an avalanche. It’s the same storm system that launched several rescue missions, including a helicopter that crashed while attempting to evacuate tourists.
Two other climbers were confirmed dead in a separate avalanche on Panbari Himal in the Manaslu region, reported The Himalayan Times.
The post Multiple Climbers Are Dead After an Avalanche Struck Near a Himalayan Base Camp in Nepal appeared first on Outside Online.
