Four bodies have been recovered after a huge avalanche buried a climbing group’s base camp in Nepal’s Himalayas, with 12 people still missing.
The avalanche struck Himlung Himal in Manang district on Sunday morning, covering the camp in roughly 14 feet of snow.
The victims were Nepalese climbers and support workers.
They had gone ahead of foreign mountaineers to prepare the route, fix ropes and organise the camp.
Rescue efforts were initially blocked by heavy snowfall and dangerous conditions.
A team of experienced mountaineers eventually reached the site by helicopter from Kathmandu and began searching through the debris.
The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association said the search was “extremely difficult and dangerous” because of deep snow, freezing temperatures and unstable ground.
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The avalanche struck Himlung Himal, a mountain popular with overseas climbers.
Search Efforts Halted
At least eight members of one expedition team were reported missing, according to trekking company official Bibhuti Chand Thakur.
Search operations have now been temporarily suspended until conditions improve.
Rescuers saying they will make every effort to recover those still missing when it is safe.
Recent rain and snow have made Nepal’s mountain regions particularly hazardous, forcing climbers to abandon other peaks, including Manaslu.
For those waiting for answers, the mountain is offering none easily.
How do you search for survivors when the mountain itself remains a threat?
