Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, 10 missing

Avalanche at Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal leaves 10 missing

At least 10 people have gone missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in western Nepal, near the Tibet border, expedition organisers said on Sunday.Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa confirmed that two members of his kitchen staff were among those missing.

“The avalanche hit on Sunday morning,” he said, news agency ANI cited.

Climbers evacuated after weather warning

According to Sherpa, expedition and rope-fixing teams had evacuated the mountain slopes after a weather warning was issued last week. However, some people remained at the site despite the worsening conditions.The region had received heavy snowfall for several days, forcing climbers to retreat from autumn expeditions. Those missing in Sunday's avalanche are believed to be associated with different expedition companies.Standing at 7,126 metres in Nepal's Manang district, Himlung Himal is a popular high-altitude climbing destination. Helicopter access to the region requires an additional permit, making rescue operations more difficult.

Heavy snowfall disrupts Nepal

The avalanche comes as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal brings heavy snowfall to Nepal's mountain regions and persistent rain to the country's hills and plains.Adverse weather conditions have affected several parts of Nepal since Friday, disrupting road connectivity and prompting authorities to close some sections to traffic.

The latest disruption follows devastating floods in Rasuwa last month that killed more than 1,400 people and left over 5,000 missing. The floods washed away settlements along the Trishuli River and dealt another blow to Nepal's tourism sector.Persistent rain and snowfall have also disrupted several trekking routes and led to the cancellation or suspension of major expeditions on Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.