Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, 10 missing
An avalanche at the Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal has left at least 10 people missing following heavy snowfall. Rescue efforts are being hampered by severe weather conditions that have also disrupted regional infrastructure and trekking routes.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing dangers posed by extreme weather patterns to the high-altitude tourism industry in the Himalayas.
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 warningAccording 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.
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