An avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal, a 7,126-meter peak in Nepal, resulting in the deaths of at least two mountain guides and leaving several others missing, authorities reported. The incident occurred after continuous heavy rain and snowfall across the region.
All the victims were mountain guides and staff affiliated with Nepalese expedition companies who had been preparing the camp for climbers. The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association confirmed that 14 kitchen staff members and two climbing guides were reported missing, with the two guides subsequently found deceased.
Conflicting reports on number of missing
Local police indicated that at least 22 individuals were present at the base camp near the border with Tibet when the avalanche struck on Sunday morning. However, the exact number of missing remains unclear. Bibhuti Chand Thakur, head of Himalayan Holidays Nepal trekking company, said that search and rescue operations were underway. He expressed cautious optimism about survival chances due to fresh snow but noted the remote location and lack of communication made accurate updates difficult.
Severe weather disrupts region and tourism
Authorities had issued warnings about harsh weather across Nepal over the weekend. Since Thursday, widespread rain has affected much of the country, with snowfall reported in northern high-altitude areas. These conditions have disrupted roads and trekking routes, prompting officials to suspend climbing and trekking activities on multiple mountains.
Broader context of recent natural disasters
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, heavily relies on trekking and mountaineering tourism for its economy. The avalanche comes amid the country’s ongoing recovery from severe floods in August that claimed over 1,400 lives and left thousands missing.
