Kathmandu — Two climbing guides have died and 14 expedition kitchen workers remain missing after an avalanche struck Himlung Himal Base Camp in Manang on Sunday, according to the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA).
The avalanche initially left 16 people unaccounted for, including two mountain guides and 14 kitchen staff working with different expedition teams. Rescue teams later located the two guides, but both were found dead.
A four-member NNMGA/IFMGA rescue team, led by mountain guide Mingma G, has reached the affected area by helicopter and begun searching for the remaining missing workers. The team includes Pasang Kaji Sherpa, Ashish Gurung and Pemba Tsiring Sherpa.
Additional rescuers remain on standby and are prepared to join the operation if required. The association had earlier mobilised an eight-member search-and-rescue team at Tribhuvan International Airport as reports from the mountain continued to develop.
Communication problems in the remote area have made it difficult to confirm the condition and location of everyone stationed at the base camp. Bibhu Chand Thakur, president of Himalayan Holidays Nepal, said his company had 22 people at the camp, but contact had been established with only nine following the avalanche.
The incident occurred as continuous rainfall and heavy snowfall affected Nepal’s high-altitude regions. Early reports indicated that 10 people were missing, but the number was later revised to 16 as more information became available.
Search and rescue operations are continuing, while expedition activities in several mountain areas have been affected by worsening weather conditions. The NNMGA has expressed condolences to the families of the two deceased guides and said efforts to locate the remaining missing workers are ongoing.
