At least 10 individuals are reported missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in western Nepal on Sunday morning. The mountain, which reaches an elevation of 7,126 metres, is located in the Manang district near the border with Tibet.
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, an expedition organiser, confirmed that two members of his kitchen staff are among those unaccounted for. According to Sherpa, expedition teams and rope-fixing crews had been advised to evacuate the mountain slopes following a weather warning issued last week. Despite the deteriorating conditions and several days of heavy snowfall that had already prompted many climbers to abandon their autumn expeditions, some individuals remained at the site.
Rescue efforts in the area face significant logistical challenges, as helicopter access to the region requires specific permits. The incident occurs amidst a broader weather system originating from the Bay of Bengal, which has brought persistent rain to Nepal's plains and heavy snowfall to its mountainous regions since Friday. These adverse conditions have caused widespread disruption, including the closure of several roads and the suspension of major climbing expeditions on Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.
This latest disaster follows a period of severe weather in Nepal, including significant flooding in the Rasuwa region last month. That event resulted in over 1,400 fatalities and left more than 5,000 people missing, causing further strain on the nation's tourism industry.
