The missing group comprises sherpas, kitchen staff, and other support personnel. They arrived at the base camp of Himlung Himal, a 7,126 m peak in central Nepal, on 18/9, carrying food and climbing equipment. Their mission included setting up tents, fixing ropes for climbing, monitoring mountain conditions, and establishing a kitchen in preparation for a group of clients from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who were scheduled to arrive on 1/10 for a summit attempt.
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, a renowned climber and owner of another company organizing expeditions on the mountain, stated that two of his kitchen staff members are among the missing.
On the morning of 27/9, Barun Bhandari, General Director of Himalayan Holidays, also confirmed that at least 6 people present at the base camp are missing.
"We received information that many team members went missing this morning, but we cannot confirm the exact number," Bhandari said. "This is the first time such an avalanche has occurred in this area." He added that the flat terrain of the camp site came as a surprise to organizers.
Bhandari noted that his company is coordinating with the Nepal Tourism Board to verify the precise number of missing individuals and to arrange helicopter rescue operations to the base camp. Heavy rain is currently hindering efforts, and communication is limited due to the remote location.
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The base camp at the foot of Himlung Himal. Photo:
Ratopati
This incident follows a severe flood disaster in the Nepal-China border region just weeks prior, which resulted from a massive glacier collapse and landslides. That catastrophe claimed at least 1,300 lives and left over 5,000 people missing. Nepal, an economy heavily reliant on tourism, is urging international visitors not to cancel their trips, despite the significant damage caused by these natural disasters.
The avalanche occurred amidst warnings of extreme weather in several parts of Nepal. The Nepal National Nature Conservation Agency recently suspended permits for entry into the Annapurna and Manaslu conservation areas, home to some of Nepal's most popular trekking routes, from 24 to 26/9 due to heavy rainfall.
Tam Anh (according to CNN, Times of India)
