Avalanche Strikes Himlung Himal Base Camp, Leaving Dozens Missing

On a Sunday morning, a torrent of snow and rock swept down the slopes of Himlung Himal, a 7,126-metre peak in Nepal’s Manang district near the Tibet border. The avalanche struck the base camp where expedition crews were fixing ropes and setting up tents. Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa confirmed that the slide caused people to go missing.

CNN10 Missing After Avalanche Hits Himlung Himal Base Camp In Nepal Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, 10 missing 10 missing as avalanche hits Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal's Manang CNN-News1810 missing after avalanche hits Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal, heavy snowfall & rain hits region

The slide occurred as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal dumped heavy snowfall on Nepal’s high mountains while rain fell across the hills and plains. Nepal has faced adverse weather since the previous Friday, prompting road closures and traffic disruptions. The avalanche follows flash floods that began on August 26, killing more than 1,400 people, and an avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on July 30 that killed 10 climbers.

CNN-News1810 missing after avalanche hits Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal, heavy snowfall & rain hits region Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, 10 missing 10 Missing After Avalanche Hits Himlung Himal Base Camp In Nepal 10 missing as avalanche hits Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal's Manang CNN

• Missing persons: Ten people are unaccounted for.

One month on, Nepal floods leave 1,453 dead, nearly 5,300 still missing

• Company affiliation: Two are linked to Imagine Nepal Pvt Ltd; the remaining eight are with Himalayan Holidays Nepal.

The Indian Express

• Support staff: Two are kitchen staff employed by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa’s expedition.

CNN

• Logistical challenges: Helicopter access to Himlung Himal requires an additional permit, complicating rescue operations.

CNN

• Rishi Bhandari, general secretary of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal, confirmed the incident and the number of missing.

The Indian Express

• Ram Krishna Lamichhane, director general of Nepal’s Department of Tourism, said the department is monitoring the situation and coordinating rescue efforts.

The Indian Express

• Barun Bhandari, general manager of Himalayan Holidays, told CNN that six or seven of his crew were missing, noting the count was still being verified.

The Indian Express

• Mingma Gyalje Sherpa reiterated that the avalanche struck on Sunday morning and that two of his kitchen staff were among those missing.

Avalanche strikes Nepal's Himlung Himal base camp, 10 missing

Sources differ on the total number missing. Most outlets report ten, specifying the breakdown between the two expedition companies. CNN, citing Barun Bhandari, reports six or seven missing from Himalayan Holidays, reflecting an ongoing verification process. No definitive casualty figures have been released, and rescue teams have limited communication due to the remote location and ongoing precipitation.

CNN

Expedition and rope-fixing teams had evacuated the slopes after a weather warning the previous week, but some personnel remained at the base camp despite worsening conditions. Local authorities have issued alerts urging trekkers and climbers to suspend activities, and the Department of Tourism has advised that tourism operations be put on hold until conditions improve.

10 Missing After Avalanche Hits Himlung Himal Base Camp In Nepal

Himlung Himal is a popular high-altitude climbing destination, and the avalanche highlights the risk that extreme weather poses to mountaineering expeditions in Nepal. The incident adds pressure on Nepal’s tourism sector, still recovering from the August floods, and underscores the logistical challenges of emergency response in remote Himalayan terrain.

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