Ten climbers missing after avalanche hits Himalayan base camp

A severe avalanche hit a base camp housing Nepali climbers in the Himalayas on Sunday, leaving at least ten missing. The climbers, who were preparing to lead an expedition, were at a staging point near the Himlung Himal peak in Manang district when the disaster struck. Heavy snowfall in the preceding days, totaling 7,126 meters (23,380 feet) above sea level, prompted the avalanche in an area straddling the Nepal-Tibet border.

Adverse weather conditions have impeded rescue operations, with helicopters and rescue teams unable to access the scene. Bibhuti Chand Thakur, representing Himalaya Holidays Trekking, informed AFP news agency that eight members of their expedition team and two additional climbers from another company have been reported missing. The Nepali team had been tasked with preparing the camp, navigating the route, and installing ropes on the mountain ahead of foreign climbers.

Nepal's mountain regions have experienced persistent rain and snow in recent days, raising concerns over the safety of the country's lucrative climbing tourism sector. Earlier this week, climbers had to evacuate Mount Manaslu, the world's eighth highest peak, due to the escalating avalanche risk. Nepal has already suffered another tragic loss of life in mountaineering, with six climbers perishing on Broad Peak in Pakistan just weeks ago, including internationally renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja.

The turmoil continues further south in India's Uttar Pradesh region, where extreme weather has claimed over 50 lives. Meanwhile, rescue efforts for the over 6,000 people still missing following a massive flood and landslide in August persist, along with the recovery of bodies from a glacial collapse in the Himalayas that unleashed a torrent of water and debris down the Trishuli River valley, obliterating several settlements.