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

An avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in western Nepal, leaving at least 10 people missing, according to expedition organizers. Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, the expedition organiser, confirmed that two members of his kitchen staff were among the missing. The avalanche occurred on Sunday morning, forcing expedition and rope-fixing teams to evacuate the mountain slopes following a weather warning issued last week.

Despite the warning, some individuals remained at the site amidst worsening conditions. The region had experienced heavy snowfall for several days, compelling climbers to abandon autumn expeditions. Those missing in the avalanche are believed to be associated with various expedition companies. Himlung Himal, standing at 7,126 meters in Nepal's Manang district, is a favored high-altitude climbing destination; however, accessing the region by helicopter requires an additional permit, complicating rescue operations.

The avalanche follows a weather system over the Bay of Bengal causing heavy snowfall in Nepal's mountain regions and persistent rain in the hills and plains. Adverse weather conditions have affected various parts of Nepal since Friday, disrupting road connectivity and prompting authorities to close certain sections to traffic. This follows devastating floods in Rasuwa last month that killed over 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing, as well as disruptions to several trekking routes and the cancellation or suspension of major expeditions on Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.