Rescuers have recovered two bodies from the site of an avalanche that struck a climbing group camping in the Nepalese part of the Himalayas. The avalanche occurred on Sunday morning at the base camp of Himlung Himal peak in Manang district, which is popular with overseas climbers. Around a dozen people are still thought to be missing after a sheet of snow fell on the area.
The group consisted of Nepalese nationals, including climbers and support staff, who were sent ahead of foreign climbers to prepare the camp and fix ropes. Recent forecasts indicated heavy snowfall around the 7,126m (23,380ft) peak, which lies on Nepal's border with Tibet.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by poor weather, preventing helicopters and rescue teams from initially reaching the site. Bibhuti Chand Thakur, of Himalaya Holidays Trekking, reported to news agency AFP that at least eight members of his expedition team were missing, although the exact number of unaccounted climbers remains unclear.
A rescue team of experienced mountaineers was dispatched from Kathmandu via helicopter, with efforts expected to continue on Monday due to thick snow and bad weather, according to local media. The Nepalese team had been tasked with preparing the camp, managing the route, and fixing ropes on the mountain.
Nepal's mountain districts have experienced persistent rain and snow, creating hazardous conditions for the country's climbing tourism industry. Earlier in the week, climbers were forced to leave Mount Manaslu, the eighth highest peak in the world, due to the increased risk of avalanches.
This incident follows the deaths of six climbers on Broad Peak in Pakistan less than two months ago, including renowned British-Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja. Additionally, recovery efforts are ongoing on the Nepal-Tibet border, where over 6,000 people remain missing after a massive flood and landslide in August, which resulted in more than 1,400 confirmed deaths due to a glacial collapse that sent debris down the Trishuli River valley.
Extreme weather events have also impacted other regions in Asia recently. In the Indian region of Uttar Pradesh, more than 50 people have died due to severe weather. In Bangkok, a flood emergency has been declared following heavy rainfall since Thursday, with residents advised to stay indoors or move to higher floors. Earlier this week, Typhoon Dujuan caused landslides in Japan, resulting in four fatalities. This typhoon is part of a series of storms in the Pacific, intensified by the "super El Niño," which contributes to the formation of powerful storms.