Avalanche on Nepal’s Mount Yalung Ri Kills At Least Seven
At least seven people have been killed after an avalanche tore through a base camp on Mount Yalung Ri in northeastern Nepal on Monday morning, officials have confirmed. The victims include five foreign climbers and two Nepali guides who were part of a 12-member expedition. Another five people were injured but are expected to recover, police said.
The avalanche struck around 9:00am local time (03:15 GMT) near the base camp, located about 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) up the 5,600-meter (18,370-foot) peak in Dolakha district. The group had set out for a climb roughly an hour before the avalanche hit. The nationalities of those killed are still being confirmed, though earlier reports suggested that climbers from France, Italy, Germany, and Canada were part of the group.
Armed Police Force spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said rescuers were making their way to the scene on foot after a helicopter was forced to turn back due to poor weather. He added that the helicopter will try again on Tuesday at dawn. Rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy snow, strong winds, and poor visibility — part of a broader wave of bad weather that has battered Nepal’s mountain regions for days.
Last week, Cyclone Montha brought intense rain and snow to the Himalayas, leaving several climbers and trekkers stranded. Among them were two Italians who went missing while climbing nearby Mount Panbari, as well as a group of British and Irish tourists rescued from the Mustang region.
Mount Yalung Ri, often considered a “beginner’s peak” for new mountaineers, is popular with smaller expeditions during the autumn season, when the weather is typically more stable. However, this year’s early snowstorms have made conditions treacherous across the region.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks including Mount Everest, attracts thousands of climbers each year. Officials say the focus now is on recovering the remaining bodies and ensuring the safety of survivors before conditions worsen.
