Himlung Himal Avalanche Toll Rises to Four as Rescue Continues
Four bodies have been recovered and rescue operations remain underway after an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in Manang district.
Search and rescue teams have recovered four bodies following a massive avalanche that struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in Manang district on Sunday, September 27, while operations continue for workers and guides who remain unaccounted for.
According to My Republica, police confirmed on Monday that the death toll rose to four after search personnel found two additional bodies at the site in Narpa Bhumi Rural Municipality-5. A total of 22 Nepali nationals had traveled to the 7,126-metre mountain on September 15 to set up base camp facilities across several expedition agencies. While 10 members managed to safely trek back down to Phu village, an avalanche engulfed the camp early Sunday morning, leaving 12 individuals missing.
Two of the deceased were identified as 52-year-old Chhebi Bhote from Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-3 and 31-year-old Pasang Bhote from Bhotkhola Rural Municipality-2, both located in Sankhuwasabha district. Onlinekhabar reported that Wangchhedar Bhote, chairperson of Bhotkhola Rural Municipality, confirmed the two men had been working as tourist guides when the disaster struck. Their bodies were airlifted by a Kailash Helicopter to Kathmandu for postmortem examinations at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. My Republica noted that the identities of the two bodies retrieved on Monday have yet to be established.
Initial casualty and missing figures varied across agencies in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Hindustan Times reported on Sunday that two bodies were found while at least 10 climbers and guides remained missing. Meanwhile, The Hindu reported that 12 people had gone missing when the avalanche swept over a tent sheltering nine climbers and 13 support personnel. Armed Police Force Deputy Superintendent of Police Shailendra Thapa told The Hindu that all those unaccounted for were Nepali nationals, prompting the dispatch of rescue helicopters.
Expedition operators confirmed that the victims were affiliated with Himalayan Holidays Nepal and Imagine Nepal Treks. An official from Himalayan Holidays Nepal told The Hindu that team members scattered as the snow cascaded down, severing communication with several workers. The Department of Tourism stated that it was actively monitoring the emergency, according to Director General Ram Krishna Lamichhane.
The tragedy strikes amid severe autumn weather that has disrupted mountain tourism across the country. Hindustan Times noted that several days of intense snowfall preceded the avalanche on Himlung, which sits near the border with Tibet. Heavy snow has also forced operators to suspend climbs on Manaslu and halt treks in the Dhaulagiri range. The adverse conditions follow torrential downpours across Nepal since Thursday that triggered widespread floods and landslides.