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Nepal snowstorms kill 12 people in Himalayas Nepal snowstorms kill at least 12 people in Himalayas
(about 3 hours later)
An avalanche and blizzard in Nepal’s mountainous north have killed 12 people, including foreign trekkers, officials say. An avalanche and blizzard in Nepal’s mountainous north have killed at least 12 people, including eight foreign trekkers. Five other climbers were hit by a separate avalanche on Mount Dhaulagiri and remain missing.
An avalanche on Wednesday buried four Canadians and one Indian trekker in Phu, said the chief administrator of Manang district. It is expected to take several days to retrieve their bodies. The death toll is likely to rise as rescuers struggle through snow and rough terrain to help dozens who remained stranded, officials said.
Three villagers were killed on Monday in the same district, about 100 miles north-west of the capital, Kathmandu. Their bodies were recovered on Wednesday. An avalanche buried one Indian and four Canadian trekkers in Phu on Wednesday, said the chief administrator of Manang district. The snow buried the trekkers’ bodies and digging them out would take days, he said.
In neighbouring Mustang district, four trekkers caught in a blizzard died on Tuesday. Rescuers recovered the bodies of the two Poles, one Israeli and one Nepali trekker from the Thorong La pass area. Three villagers were on killed Monday in the same district, about 100 miles north-west of the capital, Kathmandu, and their bodies were recovered on Wednesday.
It was initially thought the group had been caught in an avalanche, but a government official said the four trekkers instead had been caught in the blizzard and died. Yam Bahadur Chokyal said another 14 foreign trekkers had been rescued, and two army helicopters were picking up injured trekkers and flying them to Jomsom town. In neighbouring Mustang district, four trekkers caught in a blizzard died on Tuesday. Rescuers recovered the bodies of the two Poles, one Israeli and one Nepali from the Thorong La pass area. The pass is on a route that circles Mount Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest peak.
Chokyal said it was not possible to say how many trekkers remained stranded but several of them have reached safe ground on Wednesday because of improved weather. It was initially thought the group had been caught in an avalanche, but government official Yam Bahadur Chokyal said by telephone from Mustang that they had died in the blizzard.
The rain and snow in Nepal were caused by a cyclone that hit neighbouring India several days ago. A government official said more bodies were likely to be found and that it was unclear how many people were on the snow-covered route, but dozens were believed to be stranded.
October is a popular trekking month in Nepal, with thousands of foreigners hiking around Nepal’s Himalayan mountains. At least 14 foreign trekkers have been rescued so far, and two army helicopters were flying them to Jomsom town.
The Thorong La pass is on the route that circles Mount Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest peak. The avalanche on Mount Dhaulagiri hit climbers at the base camp who were preparing to scale the 8,167-metre peak, the world’s seventh tallest. Two of the missing climbers were from Slovakia and three were Nepalese guides.
An avalanche in April just above the base camp on Mount Everest killed 16 Nepalese guides, the deadliest single disaster on the mountain. Climate experts say rising global temperatures have contributed to avalanches on Himalayan mountains. Weather forecasters said the blizzard was caused by cyclone Hudhud, which hit neighbouring India several days ago.
October is the most popular trekking season in Nepal, with thousands of foreigners hiking in the Himalayan mountains.
An avalanche in April just above the base camp on Mount Everest killed 16 Nepalese guides, the deadliest single disaster ever on the mountain. Climate experts say rising global temperatures have contributed to avalanches in the Himalayas.