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| Nepal to Establish Weather Warning System After Hiking Disaster | Nepal to Establish Weather Warning System After Hiking Disaster |
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| KATMANDU, Nepal — The prime minister of Nepal announced on Friday that the government would put in place a weather warning system after more than two dozen people, mostly trekkers, were killed in a snowstorm and avalanche along the Annapurna Circuit in central Nepal, one of the worst disasters ever in the Himalayas. | KATMANDU, Nepal — The prime minister of Nepal announced on Friday that the government would put in place a weather warning system after more than two dozen people, mostly trekkers, were killed in a snowstorm and avalanche along the Annapurna Circuit in central Nepal, one of the worst disasters ever in the Himalayas. |
| As the death toll rose to 31, many began to question why so many lightly equipped trekkers had been led by expedition companies over the path despite the approaching bad weather. | As the death toll rose to 31, many began to question why so many lightly equipped trekkers had been led by expedition companies over the path despite the approaching bad weather. |
| “Concerned with the latest human casualties, I want to assure that the government will make efforts to install early warning centers for weather along the important sectors, mainly in the Himalayas areas and along the rivers,” Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said in a statement, urging support from the private sector and nonprofit organizations. | “Concerned with the latest human casualties, I want to assure that the government will make efforts to install early warning centers for weather along the important sectors, mainly in the Himalayas areas and along the rivers,” Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said in a statement, urging support from the private sector and nonprofit organizations. |
| Rescue attempts by private trekking companies, a nonprofit expedition association and the Nepalese Army continued on Friday, as some agencies estimated that 100 people were still missing after Tuesday’s storm. | Rescue attempts by private trekking companies, a nonprofit expedition association and the Nepalese Army continued on Friday, as some agencies estimated that 100 people were still missing after Tuesday’s storm. |
| Prakash Adhikari, chief executive of the Himalayan Rescue Association of Nepal, said the death toll could rival or exceed that of the last major trekking disaster, in 1995, when another storm and avalanche killed over 60 people on the Gokyo Circuit near Mount Everest and required hundreds of trekkers to be airlifted. | |
| A guide with the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, who had led a daylong expedition on Thursday, said he expected the death toll to rise, though it was difficult to find either victims or survivors. The army told the agency that it had found four more dead trekkers on Friday. | A guide with the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, who had led a daylong expedition on Thursday, said he expected the death toll to rise, though it was difficult to find either victims or survivors. The army told the agency that it had found four more dead trekkers on Friday. |
| On Thursday, Ang Pemba Sherpa, who worked on the rescue expedition, took a helicopter into the villages on one side of the Annapurna Circuit, in the Manang district. Amid the craggy mountain peaks and snow, the only clues to life were a series of thin tracks in snow that reached six and a half feet deep in places. He followed those tracks on foot and in a helicopter, but found only wild deer. | On Thursday, Ang Pemba Sherpa, who worked on the rescue expedition, took a helicopter into the villages on one side of the Annapurna Circuit, in the Manang district. Amid the craggy mountain peaks and snow, the only clues to life were a series of thin tracks in snow that reached six and a half feet deep in places. He followed those tracks on foot and in a helicopter, but found only wild deer. |
| One series of footsteps, which he was sure belonged to a human, led to a small cave nestled beside icy Tilicho Lake. | One series of footsteps, which he was sure belonged to a human, led to a small cave nestled beside icy Tilicho Lake. |
| “I tried to walk, but there was this much fresh snow,” he said, pointing to his chest. His helicopter hovered by the cave, hoping to wake resting travelers, but no one came out. | “I tried to walk, but there was this much fresh snow,” he said, pointing to his chest. His helicopter hovered by the cave, hoping to wake resting travelers, but no one came out. |
| The trekking association rescued 77 trekkers and guides on Thursday in the sparse, barren towns near Phu, a village where three yak herders had also been buried by an avalanche. On Friday, rescuers concentrated on the villages around Thorong La Pass. With the army, the association rescued at least 48 people, according to local officials. | The trekking association rescued 77 trekkers and guides on Thursday in the sparse, barren towns near Phu, a village where three yak herders had also been buried by an avalanche. On Friday, rescuers concentrated on the villages around Thorong La Pass. With the army, the association rescued at least 48 people, according to local officials. |
| Many tour operators and guides said they were unaccustomed to adjusting treks and expeditions for severe weather. | Many tour operators and guides said they were unaccustomed to adjusting treks and expeditions for severe weather. |
| “This is Nepal,” said Kusang Sherpa, a guide working with a Quebec-based travel company, Terra Ultima. Three Canadian women affiliated with the company, including a tour leader, died after being caught in the avalanche. Although extreme weather is considered noteworthy in Europe and America, he said, the Himalayas is accustomed to it. . | “This is Nepal,” said Kusang Sherpa, a guide working with a Quebec-based travel company, Terra Ultima. Three Canadian women affiliated with the company, including a tour leader, died after being caught in the avalanche. Although extreme weather is considered noteworthy in Europe and America, he said, the Himalayas is accustomed to it. . |
| Tej Bahadur Gurung, the managing director of Nepal Alternative Treks, said his company had taken seven Indians on a tour of the circuit. Three are believed to have died, though their bodies have yet to be recovered. | Tej Bahadur Gurung, the managing director of Nepal Alternative Treks, said his company had taken seven Indians on a tour of the circuit. Three are believed to have died, though their bodies have yet to be recovered. |
| The storm that caught the trekkers by surprise was the tail end of a cyclone that hit the Indian coast a week ago. Mr. Gurung said he had read news reports about it. | The storm that caught the trekkers by surprise was the tail end of a cyclone that hit the Indian coast a week ago. Mr. Gurung said he had read news reports about it. |
| “It was just news, it wasn’t a warning,” he said. “I didn’t connect it because I thought it would be a little rain, snow, some clouds. We’re not weather experts.” | “It was just news, it wasn’t a warning,” he said. “I didn’t connect it because I thought it would be a little rain, snow, some clouds. We’re not weather experts.” |
| But on Sunday, when heavy rains lashed Katmandu, the capital, he found a snowstorm warning for Annapurna. He knew that his team was on a section of the circuit where they would not have cellphone service for about a week, so he called a resident of the closest village to the team and asked him to get out the word that they should not continue. | But on Sunday, when heavy rains lashed Katmandu, the capital, he found a snowstorm warning for Annapurna. He knew that his team was on a section of the circuit where they would not have cellphone service for about a week, so he called a resident of the closest village to the team and asked him to get out the word that they should not continue. |
| Mr. Gurung said he did not hear from his team until Wednesday, when a local guide called him on a satellite phone. The conversation lasted seconds. | Mr. Gurung said he did not hear from his team until Wednesday, when a local guide called him on a satellite phone. The conversation lasted seconds. |
| “The weather has been changed for the past two or three years,” Mr. Gurung said. “Every October we’ve been experiencing bad weather.” | “The weather has been changed for the past two or three years,” Mr. Gurung said. “Every October we’ve been experiencing bad weather.” |
| Still, he said, he never thought about canceling the treks in October. | Still, he said, he never thought about canceling the treks in October. |
| “We thought maybe this is an exception,” he said. “It won’t happen again and again.” | “We thought maybe this is an exception,” he said. “It won’t happen again and again.” |